Baby Brax defying diaphragmatic hernia diagnosis, showing resilience: mum Casey Benjamin
A three-week-old baby born at the Royal Hobart Hospital was given a slim chance of survival – but his parents have been awed to witness little Brax’s resilience.
Tasmania
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Doctors told Casey Benjamin her infant son, who was born with a diaphragmatic hernia, “may not even make it”.
“His organs that were at the bottom of his belly ended up in his chest cavity,” the Boat Harbour mum, who is staying at Ronald McDonald House on Collins St, said.
“Everything was looking quite bleak, according to the doctors.”
But the three-week old Brax has shown remarkable resilience, defying his prognosis.
“They prepared us for the worst, only for him to turn around and absolutely shine the next day and absolutely shock the whole medical team,” Ms Benjamin said.
“He’s just been getting better and better and he just had his surgery … to get all his organs back down into his stomach.”
Little Brax was born 10 weeks premature. He was identified as having a diaphragmatic hernia before he was born, which Ms Benjamin said had meant she was put “on close watch” from the halfway point of her pregnancy onwards.
Open since 1998, Hobart’s Ronald McDonald House is opposite the Royal Hobart Hospital (RHH) and provides accommodation for families with children diagnosed with a serious illness – especially those living long distances from the RHH but requiring treatment there.
The site accommodates 221 families a year.
Ms Benjamin said she had stayed at Ronald McDonald House for more than 50 nights this year, before and after her pregnancy, and would likely remain there until October.
“I’m actually scared to think about where we would be without Ronald McDonald House,” she said. “Ronald McDonald has become pretty much like a second home for us.”
“They’ve been so good and so welcoming and all the volunteers and the house co-ordinators have just been on our side the entire time.”
Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania (RMHC), which operates three houses in Melbourne, as well as the one in Hobart, is calling for the public to donate to its Stronger Together Appeal, which will benefit sick kids and their families.
The 24-hour appeal will begin at 12pm on Thursday, August 25, and RMHC will double every donation with the help of corporate supporters.
To donate, visit www.strongertogtherappeal.com.au or call 03 9966 8420.
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