Tasmania toddlers: Hadrian Worthington had open heart surgery at three weeks old

Born “very premature”, this tiny Tassie battler had to have open-heart surgery at just three weeks old. Now, his parents reflect on their gut-wrenching journey as they welcome another baby into the world.

Nikki Worthington with husband Luke Worthington, Hadrian, 2 and new born Marcus. Photo: Supplied

At just three weeks old, tiny Hadrian Worthington was flown to Melbourne to have life-saving heart surgery.

It was a gut-wrenching time for his parents, Nikki and Luke Worthington, after their first child was born premature and weighing only a mere 540g.

“Hadrian’s journey has been pretty full on,” Ms Worthington said.

“He was born at 26 weeks’ gestation, so a very early premature baby.

“There’s a little duct in the heart that sort of bypasses the lungs when they’re in utero and that did close up. They normally have medications that they can give to the babies that close it up but, in Hadrian’s case, it was so big the medications didn’t work.”

At three weeks of age, Hadrian was flown from Hobart to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne for heart surgery. At that point he was only 700g.

“If you ever talk to any family who have gone through a premature baby journey everything’s day-to-day because of infections or just changing their breathing can be life or death,” Ms Worthington said.

Nikki Worthington gave birth to little Hadrian at 26 weeks. When he was 3 weeks old, he had to have heart surgery. Photo: Supplied

“Knowing that he was so premature, and then finding out that we had to fly him interstate because they couldn’t do the surgery in Hobart, and then getting him there and having the surgery, I think every minute it was pretty gut-wrenching.”

The new parents had to wait an agonising few hours before a nurse came to tell them the surgery was successful.

“Walking into the room and seeing him in the crib, and knowing that part of our journey was over, was amazing,” Ms Worthington said.

While exceeding expectations for a premature baby, Hadrian, who is now nearly three-years-old, has some developmental delays and is quite small for his age.

Hadrian, nearly three years old, is thriving after having heart surgery at three weeks old. Photo: Supplied

“He is so rambunctious and energetic, he’s just go, go, go all the time,” Ms Worthington said.

“He loves getting on his little trike bike and zooming around anywhere and everywhere. He’s so determined to do anything and everything despite his size.”

In January of this year, the Worthington family welcomed another son, Marcus.

“It was a completely different journey because it was so normal,” Ms Worthington said.

“Hadrian loves his little brother so much.”

Hadrian is one of hundreds of youngsters vying to be crowned Tasmania’s cutest toddler, with proud parents, grandparents and aunties nominating their tackers on the Mercury’s Facebook page.

Visit this story to vote for the Tassie toddlers who have been short-listed so far.