Born so tiny he could fit into the palm of his father’s hand, Ollie Gomez is now a thriving toddler approaching his second birthday.
Baby Ollie entered the world after just 22 weeks of pregnancy, making him the most premature baby ever delivered in the 200-year history of Dublin’s Coombe Maternity Hospital.
As the hospital celebrated its bicentenary last week, Ollie’s parents, Stephany and Matheus Gomez of Co Kildare, said the dedication and expertise of the hospital staff gave their son the opportunity to survive against overwhelming odds.
Mr Gomez recalled that they were informed that babies born at 23 weeks had only a 5pc chance of survival. Despite the grim outlook, the couple’s response was simple: “All he needs is a chance of life.”
Originally from Brazil, Stephany and Matheus have lived and worked in Ireland for the past 15 years. Their journey to Ollie’s birth came after the heartbreaking loss of another baby, Dom, who was born at 21 weeks a year earlier.
Ollie’s story is incredible and deserves to be celebrated. Yet it is impossible not to reflect on the fact that, in Ireland today, babies at the same gestational age are also being aborted. While one team of doctors worked tirelessly around the clock to save Ollie’s life at 22 weeks, other babies at the same stage are being intentionally aborted. That is something we, as a society, need to reflect on deeply.
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