‘Fighter and a miracle’ - Baby given one per cent survival chance at birth now enjoying life

One week after Nicola McGregor gave birth to Daniela Nelson in January 2020, she was reportedly told by doctors that her newborn required an intestinal surgery but there was a 99 per cent chance the baby would die.

In addition to being born with three holes in her heart, baby Daniela had intestinal blockage, which causes food that is being digested from passing through the intestines. If not treated, intestinal blockage can cause infection or even death.

"I was very shocked when I learned of all her illnesses because I did my regular check-up at the clinic and took the best care of myself during my pregnancy but I told God to just keep my baby alive despite everything that she has because I will love and cherish her every day of my life," McGregor said.

She said that in addition to proper dieting and paying attention to her mental well-being, she had regular pre-natal check-ups and "everything was smooth" throughout her pregnancy.

Baby Daniela was just seven days old when she successfully underwent a surgery at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in St James to correct the problem with intestines. McGregor said that after surgery a doctor said to her, 'Mom, your baby has been through enough to kill her, but she is a fighter and a miracle'.

A few months later, two of the three holes in her heart closed without the need for an operation.

However, her 31-year-old mother was advised that an open-heart surgery was needed for the third. McGregor said she made several attempts to get a date for the surgery done but was only able to secure a spot last year. The operation, however, was not necessary. An electrocardiogram, which is a test that can help diagnose certain heart conditions by measuring its electrical activity, found that the hole in Daniela's heart had got smaller.

The news came as a massive sigh of relief for the exhausted Grange Hill, Westmoreland, resident who believed that her undying faith in God helped to turn around the situation for her daughter.

"Daniela is the source of my faith. Before she was born I always believed in God, but after she was born I heard a lot of negative stuff including the 99 per cent chance of dying in surgery. I started to cry when I was processing everything and a voice said to me 'Why are you not trusting God?'. It was from there that I decided to let go off everything and just fully believe in Him. From then, I saw how he has worked out everything for her and how he has come through," she said.

The God-fearing woman said she has decided to share her story to help inspire other mothers to trust God to work miracles in their lives.