Mother racing to save six-month-old daughter’s sight

Little Chloe Harrison is just six months old, but even at this early stage of life, she has been putting up a fierce fight for survival.

Being born at 24 weeks, the tiny infant has endured and overcome lung, heart and kidney issues. But she has now lost her vision due to retina detachment. THE STAR spoke with her mother, Shaneek Ramsay, who said her daughter requires an urgent surgery to reattach the retina so she can regain her vision. However, the family is unable to cover the US$1,150 (approximately J$180,00) required by Boston Children's Hospital in Massachusetts for a consultation fee. Surgery at the same institution costs US$12,000 (approximately J$1.9 million). She is reaching out to the public for assistance.

"We are grateful for any love and financial support we can get through this trying time. We want our daughter to get a chance of seeing God's beautiful creation and to enjoy her youth," she said.

The St James woman said the first trimester of her pregnancy went well but leading into her fifth month, she began having abdominal pain.

"My cervix became pressured and it was painful. I told my doctor and he told me that my last pregnancy was more than 10 years ago, so my body wasn't used to it any more. As I approached six months, I began bleeding so I went back to my doctor and he told me that my cervix was opened," she said.

Ramsay said she was referred to the Cornwall Regional Hospital where she was placed on bed rest for three days before giving birth on May 13. At 24 weeks, little Chloe weighed 0.645kg (approximately 1.42 pounds).

"She was at the nursery for little over three months and I was there with her every day. An eye exam done when she was two months showed that she had cataract in one eye. Her lungs weren't fully developed and her heart had a hole in it, but those are okay now. Her next eye exam at Cornwall Regional, we heard that the baby had cataract in both eyes. I know she was seeing at first, because when I took her to get vaccinated, there was some decorative thing in the ceiling and she was looking at them," Ramsay said.

She said baby Chloe was referred to the Bustamante Hospital for Children were doctors told her that the baby's retinas were detached, and there was bleeding behind the eyes. Retinal detachment separates the retinal cells from the layer of blood vessels that provide oxygen and nourishment to the eye. The longer retinal detachment goes without treatment, the greater the risk of permanent vision loss.

"I was referred to UHWI (University Hospital of the West Indies) but they say the eyes are fully detached so they can't do anything about it. Bustamante Hospital does not have the resources to do it (the surgery) as well," she said. The family subsequently contacted Boston Children's Hospital.

"It stresses me out every day and it's like a race against time for our daughter. We are trying to look some help and I know God is going to work a miracle, because God bring her this far and I don't think he will leave her. I wish we could get this money fast so we can give our baby her vision back," Ramsay added.

Persons wishing to assist baby Chloe may make donations through her mother Shaneek Ramsay's NCB savings account, #435230172.