Harland was born fighting for his life. Alicia and Will knew this day would come. However, nothing prepared them for what it would be like watching on as their son lay on ventilators, giving everything he had to stay alive. It is medical equipment donated by Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, thanks to generous donations from the community, that is giving Harland a fighting chance.
At just 10 weeks pregnant, Alicia and Will received news no expecting parent is prepared for. Their baby’s test results were inconclusive. Their world changed in an instant, everything stopped, and joy turned to fear. Their first pregnancy with daughter Bonnie had been smooth, no complications and full of excitement, but now they were plunged into a world of uncertainty. It was news they never expected. Their days were suddenly full of endless scans, specialist appointments, and a constant stream of worry about their unborn baby boy and how this journey would go.
Harland’s tiny body now relied on the protection of a Giraffe Omni Bed and the support of life-saving ventilators
Wanting the best for their baby, Alicia and Will decided to get a Non-Invasive Prenatal Test (NIPT), which set off alarm bells and triggered further investigations, including an amniocentesis, a test of amniotic fluid from the womb. Knowing how invasive and risky the test could be, made Alicia nervous. She waited until 15 weeks to under go it, followed by another 3 agonising weeks for the results. Now almost halfway through her pregnancy, they still didn’t know if they would ever have the chance to meet their baby – they were living with daily anxiety.
At the 20-week anatomy scan, doctors confirmed Harland was measuring below the 1st percentile for growth, and Alicia’s placenta was less than half the size it should have been. This meant more hospital visits and even more tests.
Despite the anxiety, Alicia did her best to put her faith in her medical team and found strength in Harland’s every movement.
“It was so scary having such a high-risk pregnancy, but I just knew deep down that he was strong. I knew he was a fighter, that he wanted to be here.” Alicia said.
As those around her prepared for Christmas, Alicia did her best to prepare herself mentally for what life with a premature baby would be like. From 20 weeks, her hospital bag stayed packed in the back of the car, ready to go at moment’s notice.
“It put a real damper on Christmas. I basically told my boss I’m not coming back to work in January because we knew we would be delivering early.” Alicia recalled.
Smiling through the fear, Alicia and Will have still done their best to capture special moments with their family
Every day that Harland stayed in the womb increased his chance of survival. But suddenly, his growth stopped. Alicia was scheduled for a caesarean first thing the next morning. Although they had made it to 32 weeks, Harland weighed a teeny 618 grams, the size of a typical 23-week baby. But even in that moment, his fighting spirit was undeniable. As he was lifted from Alicia’s womb, his tiny arm reached out, his thumb pointing proudly to the sky; a perfect little thumbs up.
Harland’s fighting spirit captured in his first few moments
Alicia and Will could finally breathe a little easier, but Harland’s fight was far from over. His tiny body now relied on the protection of a Giraffe Omni Bed and the support of life-saving ventilators, made possible by generous donations to the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation. The peaceful newborn bubble Alicia had once dreamed of was replaced by the constant sounds of medical equipment keeping her baby alive.
Still, there was hope. Alicia was proud of Harland’s strength, even in those earliest days.
“As intimidating as those first days were, I was so relieved and grateful that he was stable and safe earthside thanks to his amazing neonatal team and vital medical equipment donated by the Foundation. I was in awe of his tiny body and pleased to hear the nurses repeating how strong he was. He opened his eyes on the day of his birth which was such a special moment.” Alicia remembers.
Celebrating special milestones in the NICU and Special Care Nursery
Four long days later, Harland was finally stable. Alicia and Will were able to hold their little warrior for the very first time, offering him the warmth of their skin, their love, and the comfort of knowing he was not alone in his fight to survive.
And so began the Tyler family’s new normal, juggling home life with a 20-month-old toddler and hospital life with a premature baby, something they have been doing for the past 11 weeks since Harland was born. Alicia does her best to stay positive for her family but desperately wishes she could clone herself to be in two places at once, her heart always longing for one of her babies. Some nights Alicia misses Harland so much, she will drive back to the hospital for one more cuddle after Bonnie is tucked up in bed.
“I am here six days a week. I try to take a day for myself, for my own mental health, but I hate it. I call the unit so many times for updates and make sure my husband, Will can spend time with him while I’m not there. I just want Harland to have one of us here every day for a cuddle.” She pauses. “If he is stable enough.”
After weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and then time spent in Special Care Nursery, Harland’s fragile heart began to struggle from the immense effort each little breath demands. He was readmitted to the NICU, once again surrounded by the incredible team and vital equipment that had already carried him through so much.
Harland’s heart and lungs won’t be strong enough for him to go home for quite some time, and while we are celebrating Giving Day downstairs at Gold Coast University Hospital, Harland will be upstairs in the NICU fighting to grow stronger and survive each day.
Alicia and Will are deeply grateful to Gold Coast Health staff and to the generous donations that helped save their son’s life
Whilst Alicia and Will continue to navigate Harland’s health journey, they are deeply grateful to Gold Coast Health staff and to the generous donations that helped save their son’s life.
“If you have anything to give, this is the foundation to support.” Alicia said “Because of the Gold Coast Hospital Foundation, Harland was able to access life-saving equipment that had been donated, along with care from hospital teams, which helped him survive prematurity and a dangerously low birth weight. Without those generous donations, I honestly don’t know where we’d be. That’s why I support the Foundations work to its core, and why I’m asking you to consider donating this Giving Day. As a vulnerable mum, this is incredibly personal. Your support could help save another child’s life, just like it saved his.”
Please make a donation this Giving Day. With your support, families and patients like Harland facing the unimaginable can hold onto hope, knowing their loved ones have access to the best possible health care when it truly matters.