A baby boy who has spent almost his entire life in the hospital finally made it home in time for Christmas after beating the odds following life-saving surgery.

Born prematurely at just 24 weeks in May 2024, Bertie Melly weighed just 1lb 10oz. He has since undergone five major operations after being diagnosed with a serious and potentially life-threatening bowel condition.Now, after more than 500 days in the hospital, Bertie is home with his parents, celebrating his very first Christmastime surrounded by family. His mum and dad, Phoebe and Callum Melly from Bromley, describe their son as a “remarkable little human being”.

Bertie was born following a 17-minute labour at St Thomas’ Hospital. Doctors soon diagnosed him with necrotising enterocolitis, a severe condition that causes inflammation and death of tissue in the intestines. He had his first bowel surgery when he was just 10 days old. The tiny newborn spent the first six months of his life in neonatal intensive care before being transferred to Evelina London Children’s Hospital.

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During that time, his parents stayed nearby at the Ronald McDonald House so they could be close to him. Mr Melly, 37, told the Press Association that his son is the “happiest child you will ever meet.” He said: “Considering everything he’s been through, if you see his hands, his hands are covered in scars from the amount of cannulas he’s had, he’s got gaping scars all over his abdomen, and he wakes up beaming, goes to bed, beaming.”

Mrs Melly, 34, believes Bertie’s strength comes from the care he received from hospital staff. She told PA: “In the NICU and in the paediatric ward at the Evelina, everyone just loved him and genuinely really cared for him, which was so nice, and I think that’s really helped him to get to where he is today.”

Bertie was finally allowed home in November after spending 547 days in hospital. According to Evelina’s neonatal team, babies born at 24 weeks typically spend around six months in NICU. Since coming home, his mum says he is “thriving”. Adding that Bertie isn’t far off from walking now. She added: “He’s climbing up the stairs, on and off the sofa, and getting a bit more confident with his standing.”

Mr Melly has said that even though it’s only been four weeks since the hospital, it all feels like a “distant memory now,” and that it felt “nice” and “normal.” The family have already taken Bertie to see Father Christmas. But Mrs Melly said her son was “more interested in all the decorations”.

Medically, Bertie continues to make progress. Mrs Melly told PA he is “making some really good progress”.She explained that while there is still a risk of bowel obstruction later in life, it is not guaranteed. Following surgery, Bertie has what is known as short gut syndrome after losing around 70 per cent of his small intestine. He has been tube-fed milk and also relies on an IV line, which delivers vital nutrients directly into his bloodstream. The family’s hope is to gradually increase the amount of solid food he eats.

Mr Melly said he is optimistic his son may be able to have the IV line removed within the next year. He shared, “If he can get that line out, then it means we can have a pretty much normal life until he’s eating enough to get the milk pump removed as well.”

Mrs Melly recalled being “very relaxed” when she went to the hospital in May 2024 after experiencing bleeding. She said doctors initially assessed her as low risk and told her she might need bed rest for a week. She added that the couple took things as they came each day. She continued, “We didn’t think too far ahead. We tackled one problem at a time.”

Bertie’s bowel issues were his biggest challenge, but his breathing also caused serious concern. She said, “He was intubated for a long time, and there were times when his lungs were fully about to give up." She recalled that she feared thinking too far ahead, adding: “So in that sense, it’s comforting to know that, although you’ve got those dark fears, actually, we’ve made so much progress in 18 months, so who knows where we’ll be in a year’s time as well.”

The couple say they are “eternally grateful” to the team that cared for their son, with Mr Melly praising: “They saved his life at the end of the day, on countless occasions.”

Consultant paediatric and neonatal surgeon Iain Yardley, who was involved in Bertie’s care, praised the family’s resilience, stating, “Bertie has faced many, many challenges in his short life. He and his parents have faced these challenges with extraordinary grace and courage. Seeing him go home is what we all have been working for, and we could not be more pleased for him and his family.”