Zee Media Bureau/Shruti Saxena
New Delhi: In a medical marvel, a baby boy who suffered five cardiac arrests has defied the odds and is about to celebrate his first birthday on April 15.
Born to Taniya and her husband Steve, Benjamin Astbury, conceived through IVF, was born 12 weeks ahead of the schedule, weighing 1lb 3oz at Wrexham Maelor Hospital in North Wales.
With just 10% of survival chances, baby Benjamin was the smallest baby born at the hospital. He suffered five cardiac arrests, two emergency bowel operations and was even put into a paralysed state on a ventilator for six days.
His mother Mrs Astbury and her husband felt distraught when at times they were told that the baby was too weak to live.
But, Taniya and Buckley are now proud parents and they were quoted as saying: “But miracles do happen and we are absolutely over the moon”.
“Benjamin is doing really well at the moment and we are coming up to his first birthday despite having been told a number of times he wouldn't make it”.
“He was so tiny when he was born and one of the nurses said he was the smallest she had ever seen in her 16 years at the hospital”.
“But he is definitely a fighter - he has already been through so much,” they added.
Fighting against all odds and showing a remarkable recovery, little Benjamin now weighs in at about 13lbs and is thriving at home with his family.
