Little Sebastian At Heart Of Help

Sun Herald

Sunday April 17, 2005

By HANNAH EDWARDS

JUST five hours after Sebastian Hope was born he was flown by helicopter from Lithgow to a Sydney hospital in a desperate bid to save his life after it was detected his heart was beating at twice the normal rate.

"We had a quick snuggle and then they took him away," his mother, Amelia Hope, 20, said.

As the helicopter travelled to Sydney, specialists from three hospitals were on a conference call, working out which hospital had a spare intensive care bed. Sebastian was put into intensive care at the Royal Hospital for Women (RHW) in Randwick. His father, Christopher, was by his side, while Mrs Hope joined them in Sydney the next day.

"He needed a newborn intensive care unit and a cardiac specialist," said RHW's neo-natologist Meredith Ward, who treated Sebastian on arrival.

She said Sebastian's condition, supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), was an uncommon problem for babies.

A medication called adenosine, which has a potential side effect of causing cardiac arrest, was administered and, to everyone's relief, it worked perfectly.

The family is expected to return home soon where Sebastian will meet his 15-month-old brother William for the first time.

The RHW has launched its third annual Mother's Day appeal with a variety of fund-raising events including the chance to win a diamond and pink sapphire pendant valued at $2800.

> Your chance to win an 18-carat sapphire pendant: S liftout, page 11

© 2005 Sun Herald

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