OUR LITTLE MIRACLE
ALICE HAS THE HEART TO SURVIVE ANYTHING
TINY Alice Beck is a miracle child. At 12-months-old, she has survived open heart surgery, heart failure, a rare and deadly lung condition, sepsis and meningitis.
Born last November with four holes in her heart, Alice has spent most of her life receiving treatment from Toowoomba’s St Vincent’s Hospital and Brisbane’s Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.
Her mother Julie and father Daniel hope Toowoomba will dig deep during the Children’s Hospital Foundation’s annual telethon on Saturday.
TINY Alice Beck is a miracle child.
At 12-months-old, the delightful little baby has survived open heart surgery, heart failure, a rare and deadly lung condition, sepsis and meningitis.
Born last November with four holes in her heart, Alice has spent most of her life receiving treatment from Toowoomba’s St Vincent’s Hospital and the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital in Brisbane.
The congenital heart defect meant she had restricted blood flow.
By April, the youngster’s health was going downhill fast with weight loss, lethargy and feeding difficulties indicating she was suffering heart failure.
Lady Cilento doctors had no choice but to put the infant under the knife for eight hours as they tried to fix her broken heart.
She pulled through the surgery but her recovery was set back after doctors realised she an extremely rare lung condition called congenital pulmonary lymphangiectasis.
That meant she had to endure a three-hour operation on her lungs and a three-week stay in Lady Cilento’s pediatric intensive care unit.
“We didn’t think she’d make it and we were told doctors might have to stop her care,” Alice’s mother Julie Banks said.
“We were told to prepare for her to die because her health was so bad.”
But Alice refused to give up, inspiring her doctors and amazing her mother and her father, Daniel Beck.
While it’s been a tough ride for the young parents, Julie said the hospital and family and friends helped them get through.
“Everyone was unbelievably supportive,” Julie said.
While Alice is slowly starting to reach milestones relevant to her age, such as waving and learning how to swim, the youngster is not out of the woods yet.
“Her future is quite uncertain because there are not many survivors with her condition,” Julie said.
“Until the mid-1980s it was a death sentence.
“At the moment Alice doesn’t need oxygen support and she is feeding quite well but she hasn’t gained a lot of weight so she’s on a special diet.
“We don’t know what to expect – we just have to roll with the punches.”
The Children’s Hospital Foundation has played a key role in Alice’s recovery, with the organisation providing important medical equipment and visits by social workers and volunteers who kept her entertained with games and storytelling.
“One of the best things was the Cuddle Carers who
❝ We were told to prepare for her to die because her health was so bad. — Julie Banks of daughter Alice.
would stay with Alice while I went for a break,” Julie said.
“It just made it all a bit easier.”
Alice is one of 1364 Toowoomba and Warwick residents treated at Lady Cilento last financial year.
The youngster is taking on a big challenge, helping to promote the annual Channel Nine Telethon, supporting
the Children’s Hospital Foundation, on Saturday.
The appeal aims to raise $11 million.
As well as supporting patients at LCCH, money raised during the telethon pays for vital medical equipment, research and a range of medical services at Lady Cilento and throughout regional Queensland and
Northern NSW.
“It’s well worth donating to,” Julie said.
“We wouldn’t have Alice if it wasn’t for the amazing work of the doctors and the staff at Lady Cilento and the foundation.” Donate at 9telethon.com.au or by phoning 1800 909 900.