Jude’s arrival at 38 weeks via caesarean section was peaceful and joyful. For the first two days he seemed like any healthy newborn. Then, on day two, he was transferred to a larger hospital where doctors diagnosed total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage — a rare condition in which the veins carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs connect to the wrong part of the heart.

Open heart surgery was scheduled for 6 January. The family braced themselves for a long and difficult recovery. What followed was nothing short of miraculous. Jude spent only three days in intensive care and two days on the high dependency unit. On 12 January — just six days after major open heart surgery — the family was discharged home to continue healing together.

His mother, Freya, later shared a poignant reflection: although knowing about the condition during pregnancy might have helped them prepare emotionally, she was actually grateful they enjoyed nine full months of pregnancy without constant worry and overthinking.

“Although it would have been good to know earlier, we’re glad we enjoyed pregnancy without worry,” his mum says. Those quick, intense weeks showed your incredible resilience, mama. You handled it all with so much love and grace.