GIVING THE GIFT OF JOY TO CHRISTMAS MIRACLES
OLIVER Hutchen has faced more challenges than most other three-yearolds.
The tiny toddler from Home Hill was born without an oesophagus and underwent more surgeries before his first birthday than most will their lives.
Townsville Hospital and Health Service named Oliver one of its 12 Miracles of Christmas in 2020 after he overcame a mountain of medical complications and surgeries in his first year of life.
Oliver was born premature in November 2019 and rushed into his first surgery just hours later after doctors in Townsville University Hospital’s NICU diagnosed him with tracheoesophageal fistula, a rare condition where a baby is born with their food pipe connected to their airway.
Oliver’s mum, Stephanie Hutchen, did not know if her little boy would make it to his first Christmas.
“His whole first year was pretty much spent here in hospital and he had five surgeries in his first eight months of life,” she said.
Mrs Hutchen said she was proud of Oliver’s resilience over the past three years.
“He is due for another surgery before Christmas where doctors will put him under anaesthetic and use a camera to see if his oesophagus needs to be widened,” she said.
“He’s still not eating solid foods and we are mostly giving him pureed food as he does not have the nerves and muscles to push the food down.”
Brighter Lives chief executive officer Tanya Busoli said the charity was seeking donations from the community to put in care packs for patients like Oliver who would be spending any part the festive season in hospital.