A baby boy who has spent the vast majority of his young life in hospital is finally preparing to celebrate his first Christmas at home after being discharged.
Bertie Melly, born prematurely at just 24 weeks in May 2024, weighed a mere 1lb 10oz and has endured more than 500 days in medical care.
Bertie’s challenging start included five operations following a diagnosis of necrotising enterocolitis, a serious condition affecting the intestines.
Now, after 547 days, he is home in Bromley with his parents, Phoebe and Callum Melly, who affectionately describe their son as a “remarkable little human being.” The family is eagerly anticipating spending the festive season with loved ones.
Born after a swift 17-minute labour at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, Bertie’s first surgery on his bowel occurred at just 10 days old.
He spent his initial six months in neonatal intensive care before being transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital, where his parents stayed at the nearby Ronald McDonald House to remain close.
The Evelina’s neonatal team notes that the average NICU stay for a 24-week premature baby is typically around six months, highlighting Bertie’s extended journey.
Despite the immense challenges, Bertie’s father, Callum Melly, 37, shared with the Press Association that his son is the “happiest child you will ever meet.”
He elaborated: “Considering everything he’s been through – if you see his hands, his hands are covered in scars from the amount of cannulas he’s had, he’s got gaping scars all over his his abdomen – and he wakes up beaming, goes to bed, beaming. He’s a remarkable little human being.”
Bertie’s mother, Phoebe Melly, 34, attributes her son’s joyful disposition to the “love and affection” he received from the dedicated medical staff.
She told PA: “In the NICU and in the paediatric ward at the Evelina, everyone just loved him and genuinely really cared for him, which was so nice, and I think that’s really helped him to get to where he is today.”
Since his discharge in November, Bertie is “thriving,” according to Mrs Melly. She noted his rapid physical development: “He’s physically developing really well, I think he’s not that far off walking now. He’s climbing up the stairs, on and off the sofa, and getting a bit more confident with his standing.”
Mr Melly added that being home feels “so normal” and that the hospital stay is “almost a distant memory now,” despite only being home for four weeks.
The family has already taken Bertie to meet Father Christmas, though Mrs Melly joked he was “more interested in all the decorations.”
She is particularly looking forward to buying him presents this year, a luxury limited by hospital space.
Medically, Bertie is “making some really good progress,” though Mrs Melly acknowledged “there is always a risk that he could get a bowel obstruction” later in life, though it is not a certainty.
Following his operations, Bertie lives with a “short gut,” having lost approximately 70 per cent of his small intestine.
He is currently tube-fed milk and receives essential vitamins, minerals, and amino acids directly into his bloodstream via an IV line.
The family’s immediate goal is to increase his intake of solid foods, aiming to eventually wean him off both lines. Mr Melly hopes the IV nutrition line, which goes straight to Bertie’s heart, can be removed within six months to a year.
“If he can get that line out, then it means we can have a pretty much normal life until he’s eating enough to get the milk pump removed as well,” he explained.
Recalling the initial stages, Mrs Melly described being “very relaxed” when she went to hospital in May 2024 with bleeding, as an assessment indicated a low risk of immediate birth.
She was told she might stay for a week of bed rest before returning home. “We didn’t know what was ahead, and I actually think that was probably a good thing, because we literally just took each day as it came,” she reflected. “We didn’t think too far ahead. We tackled one problem at a time.”
Bertie’s “biggest” health issue at birth was his bowel, but the family also “went through a lot” with his breathing.
Mrs Melly recounted: “He was intubated for a long time, and there was times when his lungs were fully about to give up.”
She added: “You just can’t think too far ahead – there were times I wouldn’t have even thought we’d be sat here today, and we’re at home with him.
“So in that sense, it’s comforting to know that, although you’ve got those dark fears, actually, we’ve made so much progress in 18 months, so who knows where we’ll be in a year’s time as well.”
The couple expressed their “eternal gratitude” to the Evelina team for their unwavering support.
Mr Melly emphasised: “They saved his life at the end of the day, on countless occasions.”
Iain Yardley, a consultant paediatric and neonatal surgeon at Evelina London involved in Bertie’s care, praised the family: “Bertie has faced many, many challenges in his short life.
“He and his parents have faced these challenges with extraordinary grace and courage. Seeing him go home is what we all have been working for and we could not be more pleased for him and his family.”