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A BENDIGO family is raising awareness of a little known condition that affects one in 2500 newborn babies.
Joshua and Chantelle Morrison’s fourth child Noah, was born on March 2014 with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), a rare condition with a 50 per cent mortality rate.
CDH babies are born with a hole in the diaphragm that results in vital organs moving into the chest cavity.
Scans prior to his birth, indicated that Noah’s stomach, bowel, spleen and left lobe of liver were all in his chest cavity. His left lung was severely compromised, and he was only given a 50 per cent chance of survival.
Noah was operated on just three days after his birth and spent more than a month in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
“Our little boy was covered in medication lines, incubation tubes and monitoring leads,” Mrs Morrison said.
“It was 12 says before I could hold Noah for the first time.
“I still remember the day we brought him home. Being so excited, yet so scared of leaving the security of the hospital and the doctors.
“It’s not unusual to find medical professionals in general practice who don’t know what CDH is.”
As a way to honour Noah’s brave struggle and all other CDH babies, both survivors and “angel babies”, the Morrisons are planning a gala dinner and auction night to be held at the The Conservatory, All Seasons Bendigo on Saturday, July 11.
All proceeds will go to CDH Australia, a voluntary run organisation that provides phone and email support for families, parent matching and private facebook groups, a comprehensive website, support booklets and newsletters, and an annual forum held every October.
Member for Bendigo East, Jacinta Allan, is the official ambassador of the event.
“Not a day goes by that we don't thank our lucky stars Noah is with us,” Mrs Morrison said.
“We think of all the CDH babies who grew their angel wings well before their time, and pray that one day there will be an answer to why our beautiful babies are born with this condition.”
For more information and bookings, contact Chantelle Morrison on 0432 111 245.