Meet Oliver, the 'little miracle' who needs heart operation
Alice and Toby Mason's world was turned upside down soon after their 'little miracle', Oliver was born last November.
Alice didn't get to see her baby son for two days after she gave birth, because he was rushed to Brimingham Children's Hospital. Christmas was also cancelled when he was again rushed in to see doctors on Christmas Day, after contracting a virus.
Oliver, who is nearly seven months old, now needs heart surgery in the coming months.
Alice and Toby have launched a gofundme page, as much to raise awareness of the family's plight as to raise money for the debts they have racked up since Oliver was born.
'We're not expecting anyone to donate, just to show awareness that not everybody's life is perfect,' said Alice, 33.
'Any money donated will help us get by while he is in hospital and pay for bills at home.
'If a substantial amount of money is raised then we will donate some to the children's hospital.'
Pregnancy itself was a minor miracle for the couple, who live in Llanwrthwl, near Rhayader, as Alice was told she could not have children due to suffering with Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal disorder that affects women of reproductive age.
She said the duo were 'over the moon' when they discovered the pregnancy just over a year ago.
They decided to get married when Alice was nearly 6 months, but she had to do so without both parents – her father had already passed away, while her mother had been diagnosed with blood cancer and was too unwell to attend.
Her mother's health declined rapidly around August, after contracting Covid at the hospital and then pneumonia. She became so ill she was eventually put on end-of-life care and died shortly after, when Alice was seven months pregnant.
Oliver was delivered via C-section after Alice spent four days in labour, having battled high Doppler readings indicating abnormality in blood flow.
Oliver was born weighing a healthy 7lb 13oz, with Alice describing him as 'absolute perfection', but Oliver's condition soon caused concern.
'Four hours after he was born we noticed he had a bit of a temperature and he was taken to special care to be checked over, they suspected a few different problems,' said Alice.
'Just 24 hours after being born he was transported to Birmingham with suspected heart conditions.
'I couldn't go with him as I had to wait to be discharged, so I didn't get to see my baby for two days.'
When they did get to see their boy, Alice and Toby, 34, were told he had been diagnosed with Pulmonary atresia with a ventricular septal defect (PA-VSD) – a congenital heart condition where the pulmonary artery is completely blocked, as well as a large hole between the two main pumping chambers.
Oliver also had MAPCAs, or Major Aortopulmonary Collateral Arteries, abnormal connections between the aorta and the pulmonary vascular system.
'We were there for two-and-a-half weeks before they let us come home,' added Alice. 'The time there crippled us, we spent £2,000 that we didn't have and ended up racking up the credit card.'
Christmas Day came and rather than joy the couple had another blow delivered. Oliver had contracted Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus which can be serious in babies.
The beleaguered new family spent Christmas in hospital, with surgery eventually on the cards.
'He will have his first heart surgery in the next eight weeks and we expect to be there for at least a month,' said Alice.
'They are going to try and do everything in one surgery; if they can't they will leave the hole for the time being and just concentrate on the MAPCAs as they are the really important one.'
Toby, who is self-employed and works as a vehicle dismantler, will not be able to bring in an income during this time, which adds to their woes.
'Financially we are really struggling and unable to get any help,' she said.
'Our sole purpose is to make sure our little boy is OK, but we also need to make sure we have a home to come back to."
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