Drysdale prep Esme Steel was given 50 per cent chance of surviving birth

Drysdale’s Esme Steel was given a 50 per cent chance of surviving birth due to a rare medical condition. Six years later, her mum says it’s “surreal” to see her start prep.

Drysdale Primary School prep Esme Steel. Picture: Brad Fleet

Esme Steel had a 50 per cent chance of survival when she was born.

But she defied the odds and the now six-year-old started prep at Drysdale Primary School this year.

Mum Annie Hommelhoff said she and her partner Adam Steel were told their daughter had a rare, life-threatening medical condition during an ultrasound at 26 weeks into the pregnancy

“It meant we had to prepare for a very different birth than we expected,” Ms Hommelhoff said.

“It was a 50-50 chance whether she would survive birth.”

Esme is hospital as a bub.

Esme had congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a hole in her diaphragm that leads to organs moving into the chest during fetal development.

“Her bowel and her liver were in her chest cavity around her heart and her lungs,” Ms Hommelhoff said.

She had a C-section at the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne with a specialist team on hand, ready to save little Esme’s life.

Esme started prep at Drysdale Primary School this year after being given a 50 per cent chance of survival at birth.

After birth, she was taken down the road to the Royal Children’s Hospital and had major surgery at just five days old to repair the hole with an artificial patch.

“She was incubated and sedated straight away and they worked around the clock to stabilise her,” Ms Hommelhoff said.

“She was close to death many times and the staff at the RCH saved her life

“She was hooked onto lots of machines … her heart wasn’t working and it was very bleak.

“You can’t believe that a little human can go through that and then be talking and walking into the schoolyard

“It blows your mind.”

Esme started prep at Drysdale Primary School this year. Picture: Brad Fleet

Esme spent the first month of her life at the RCH’s neonatal intensive care unit and another month at Geelong hospital’s special care nursery.

She has been tube fed since birth and has continued to spend a lot of time in and out of hospital during her young life as well as receiving support from the Kids+ Foundation for occupational and speech therapy.

Ms Hommelhoff said her daughter was cheeky, hilarious and a “real go-getter”.

“She loves to swim at the beach and she is so energetic and lively, she makes us laugh all the time,” she said.

MY FIRST YEAR: CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE PREP PHOTOS FROM SCHOOLS ACROSS THE REGION

She said it was still surreal to see Esme walking through the school gates every day with her backpack on.

“She has loved meeting new friends and she loves being at school with her siblings,” Ms Hommelhoff said.

“It’s a really special milestone.

“She still has challenges and things she will have to tackle but it’s really important to acknowledge these special times.

Esme is the 5th generation in her family to attend Drysdale Primary School along with her brother Rhys, 10, and sister Jocelyn, 7.

Originally published as Drysdale prep Esme Steel was given 50 per cent chance of surviving birth