Toddler home for Christmas after 18 months in hospital

A toddler who has spent most of his life in hospital is preparing to spend his first Christmas at home after being discharged.

19-month-old Bertie Melly had serious health problems when he was born prematurely at 24 weeks, weighing just 1 lb 10 oz (0.7 kg).

In addition to needing help breathing, he was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease affecting his intestines. He underwent five surgeries – the first in just 10 days.

After spending more than 500 days in hospital, Bertie is now at home in Bromley, south-east London, with his parents Phoebe and Callum Melley, who say he is “making really good progress”.

Bertie was born after a 17-minute labor at St Thomas' Hospital in London in May 2024.

Soon after, he was diagnosed with necrotizing enterocolitis, a disease in which intestinal tissue becomes inflamed and begins to die.

After spending the first six months of his life in the neonatal intensive care unit, he was transferred to London's Evelina Children's Hospital.

He continues to be fed through a tube and receives nutrients through intravenous drips.

However, Ms Melly said Bertie had made “really good progress” medically and had been “doing well” since returning home in November.

She added: “Physically he is developing very well, I think he is not too far away from walking anymore.

“He goes up the stairs, sits on and off the sofa, and becomes a little more confident in his position.”

Mr Melly said: “We've only been at home for four weeks but being in hospital now is almost a distant memory and it's really nice, it's so normal.”

Bertie's parents hope to wean him off the IV and onto solids within the next year.

“If he manages to get that line pulled out, it will mean we can lead a pretty normal life until he eats enough to have the breast pump removed,” Mr Melly said.

He added that his son was “the happiest child you'll ever meet.”

He said: “Given everything he's been through – if you see his arms, his arms are covered in scars from the number of cannulas, he has gaping scars all over his stomach – and he wakes up beaming, goes to bed beaming.”

“He's a wonderful little man.”

In recent weeks the couple had taken Bertie to see Father Christmas, although Mrs Melly said he was “more interested in all the decorations”.

The couple said they were “forever grateful” to the team at Evelina for everything they did for Bertie.

Ian Yardley, consultant pediatric and neonatal surgeon at Evelina London, who was involved in Bertie's care, said: “Bertie faced many, many challenges in his short life.

“He and his parents faced these challenges with extraordinary grace and courage.

“Seeing him come home is something we've all worked for and we're very happy for him and his family.”