Geelong baby Willow Bell is fighting for life in hospital after she went into cardiac arrest

A Geelong family is keeping vigil by their baby daughter’s bed, five days after she suffered a life-threatening cardiac arrest.

Six-month-old Willow Bell went into cardiac and is fighting for her life at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied

A Geelong family is keeping vigil by their baby daughter’s bed five days after she went into cardiac arrest.

Geelong mother Kim Bell had to perform CPR on her tiny daughter Willow after she stopped breathing on Wednesday morning.

Family friend Amy Bannerman said Willow has a rare heart defect and was born six weeks premature.

“Super mum Kim immediately commenced resuscitating her and was able to revive her,” she said.

Willow was taken to Geelong hospital to be stabilised and was then transported to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Willow’s parents remained by her bedside over the weekend as she remained on full life support as of Monday morning.

Baby Willow with parents Kim and Micky Bell. Picture: Supplied

Ms Bannerman and her friend Hayley Barclay set up a GoFundMe page to support Willow’s mum Kim and dad Micky and help with the expenses of travelling back and forth from Melbourne to Geelong.

“Kim is still on maternity leave but we don’t want to see Micky have to go back to work while this is happening ... we want both of them to be at Willow’s bed side,” Ms Bannerman said.

She said the family have been overwhelmed with the support from the community.

“They cannot believe how much love and support they have recieved, they are so thankful,” Ms Bannerman said.

Willow was a “miracle baby” after she was conceived via IVF.

“(Kim and Micky) were beyond excited and so was all the family because they had been trying for so long to have a child ... it had been their dream to be parents,” Ms Bannerman said.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Micky and Kim Bell so they can be by their baby Willow’s bed as she fights for her little life. Picture: Supplied

Kim is a clinical nurse and worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic up until her maternity leave.

“She is the hardest worker and she is so family orientated,” Ms Bannerman said.

“She has given so much to the community and now ... it’s our turn to give her and her family as much support as we can.”

The GoFundMe page to support the Bell family can be found here.

Originally published as Geelong baby Willow Bell is fighting for life in hospital after she went into cardiac arrest