Campbell Gowers is lucky to be alive. Four years ago, when he was only seven years old a CT scan at The Royal Children’s Hospital revealed he had a giant basilar apex aneurysm which is very rare in children.
Surgeons at the RCH told his parents, Belinda and Norman, that without surgery there was a 50% chance Campbell would die, with surgery he had a 50% chance of survival.
Due to the risk involved in the surgery, it was performed at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where there was angiographic expertise; the team included Mr Kevin Su, a skilled vascular neurosurgeon from the RMH, RCH neurosurgeon Ms Wirginia Maixner and the RCH anaesthetic team.
Campbell suffered a stroke on the operating table and was stabilised, but surgeons told his parents they did not expect him to pull through. They were amazed when he woke up. However 24 hours later he was rushed back to surgery at RCH where Ms Maixner removed bone from his head to relieve pressure due to complications from the stroke. He remained in a drug induced coma for several weeks. When he woke he was unable to walk or feed himself and it was still unknown what the long term affects of the stroke would be.
Surgeons left off part of the bone flap to allow the swelling of his brain to subside. He wore a specially made helmet to protect his head and was confined to a wheelchair. Then in another setback he began having breathing difficulties and spent five days on a ventilator in intensive care. He was discharged back to the ward in time to celebrate his eighth birthday.
Still without the bone flap on his skull for several weeks, he was allowed to go home and even permitted to return to school for 30 minutes a day, with his mother close by.
Campbell’s recovery has amazed his doctors — he had his final rehabilitation visit to the eye clinic last week. He’s a sports nut and is now playing football, cricket and basketball again.
Campbell’s grandfather, John Gowers and his colleagues at the Rotary Club of Hawthorn were so proud of Campbell’s determination and so impressed with his care that they decided to help the hospital in a tangible way.
Campbell visited the RCH today when, on behalf of Rotary International, his grandfather pledged a donation of $200,000 to the RCH Children’s Neuroscience Centre where Campbell’s life was saved. Campbell and John also unveiled a plaque in recognition of Rotary’s support.
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