Born with a rare condition, Naomi’s daughter underwent a world-first surgery
Naomi Findlay, 39
Kissing my daughter, Vanellope, seven, goodbye, I fought back tears.
‘I love you,’ I whispered as she was wheeled into theatre… again.
In November 2017, she’d been born with her heart outside her body.
The congenital condition was first picked up during my nine-week scan.
Already parents to two sons, Caleb, then eight, and Jacob, five, my partner Dean, 42, and I were excited to meet our boys’ little sibling.
But seeing the sonographer’s face shift during the check-up, I knew something was wrong.
After fetching a doctor, they broke the news.
‘I’m afraid your baby has ectopia cordis,’ he said, explaining that our baby would be born inside out. Staring at the screen, I saw…
