Miracle baby defies odds, leaves hospital after lengthy battle for his life
After 80 days of battling for his life in a neonatal intensive care unit, a premature Israeli baby was sent home from a hospital in Ashdod on Monday.
Parents Amir and Yuval Ganeh with their baby son and doctors at the Assusta Ashdod Public Hospital as the baby was released from the hospital on May 22, 2023. Photo by the Assuta Ashdod Public Hospital
“The resilience and determination shown by [the baby] prove that miracles exist in this world,” said Dr Omer Globus, director of labour at the Assuta Ashdod Public Hospital.
The story began two and a half months ago when Yuval Ganeh and her husband, Amir anxiously rushed to Assuta. Yuval noticed a lack of fetal movement in her 31st week of pregnancy. Doctors discovered that the fetus was in distress and performed an emergency caesarean section.
The baby, who has not yet been given a name, suffered from a severe form of “pulmonary immaturity,” which occurs when a newborn’s lungs are not sufficiently developed to provide for the body’s oxygen needs. The baby also had pulmonary hypertension, a condition that affects the blood vessels in the lungs and is characterised by high blood pressure.
Immediately after the surgery, Baby Ganeh was transferred to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for critical treatment and close monitoring. During the initial days, the medical team faced an uphill battle as his condition teetered between life and death. There were several instances when his parents were called to bid farewell. Miraculously, their son managed to overcome each crisis.
After about two weeks, Baby Ganeh’s condition began to stabilise, offering a glimmer of hope to his parents and the medical staff.
Baby Ganeh will require respiratory assistance and continued medication, but doctors believe that as he grows stronger, the medical intervention will eventually become unnecessary.
“Throughout our time in the hospital, we felt as if we were on an emotional roller coaster,” said parents Yuval and Amir, residents of Kiryat Gat.
“Today, we leave these hospital gates with our son, having triumphed over adversity. It was not an easy journey, and our baby faced near-death experiences, but thanks to the medical team—true messengers from heaven—we are smiling today and expressing our heartfelt gratitude,” they said.
Hospital staff also celebrated Baby Ganeh’s release.
“This premature baby, born at 31 weeks, presented challenges beyond what we have encountered before,” said Dr Globus. “Time and again, he defied the odds, proving to us that our dedication and hard work pay off. We have great expectations for his future, and I am honoured to have played a role in this magical journey.”
