Parents Carrie and Stuart Maxwell, learned of their son’s condition after a 20 week scan revealed abnormalities in his heart. Doctors said that Tommy would be unlikely to survive more than a few hours without immediate surgery after birth.

Tommy had his first open heart surgery at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) within the first 48 hours of his life. A few hours later, he suffered a cardiac arrest and on day 15, he endured his second lifesaving operation.

Tommy was born with aortic stenosis, a potentially fatal condition where the aortic valve narrows abnormally. In addition, the left side of he’s heart had failed to develop properly and was perforated with a number of holes.

For first time parents, Carrie and Stuart, Tommy’s condition was devastating and stressful. The couple couldn’t pick up and hold their newborn until four weeks after his birth.

When his condition improved, he was eventually moved to a ward and then transferred to the family’s local hospital.

The family praised the work of the surgeons, doctors and nurses at the RCH for the great outcome.

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