How could baby Kalea survive with only one lung? The news was devastating. Katie’s 20-week ultrasound showed that her unborn baby, Kalea, had very little lung tissue. Her local doctor’s office said the pregnancy wasn’t viable, but parents Katie and Kelly weren’t ready to give up hope. After the pain of delivering a stillborn son the year before, they were determined to finally start their family.
The search for answers
They contacted Boston Children’s Hospital for a second opinion. More advanced imaging and testing revealed that Kalea had one healthy lung and one underdeveloped lung. She had a congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which meant she was missing parts of her diaphragm. As a result, parts of her stomach, bowels and liver had moved up into her chest and prevented one lung from fully growing.
The discovery was distressing, but there was also good news: Doctors at Boston Children’s were confident they could help Kalea, because they had treated this condition many times before.
We were shocked. We thought this wasn’t going to happen for us. But Boston Children’s gave us the chance to have our baby.
Kelly, Kalea’s mom
Doctors acted fast
Within minutes of Kalea being born at a local hospital, the baby, Kelly, and a team of doctors went straight to the Boston Children’s NICU while Katie recovered from labor. Three days later, Kalea had surgery to move her stomach and other organs out of her chest to their proper places. And, amazingly, a GORE-TEX® patch was placed to repair the hole in her diaphragm.
In the weeks following her surgery, Kalea had MRIs, oxygen tests and check-ups to monitor her progress. After two months in the hospital, Kalea’s breathing and feeding tubes were removed, and she was able to go home. It was a joyous day—their family was healthy and whole.
Time to relax
Katie, Kelly and Kalea are now enjoying some much-needed quiet time together. They love reading Harry Potter books and watching Boston Celtics games on TV. Most of all, they love being a family of three, and they’re excited for a lifetime of memories together.
