British month-old boy survives first operation following airlift to Italy for ... trends now
A month-old British boy has survived his first operation following an airlift to Italy for treatment after the NHS said he was too ill to go under the knife.
He is now recovering before a second operation to try and save his life.
The seriously ill baby was taken from a hospital in Bristol after the Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, personally intervened to make sure the sick child could travel to Rome to receive treatment for a congenital heart condition.
An Italian ambulance landed in Bristol after being loaded on to a specially equipped military aircraft complete with specialist medics.
The baby's father has said his heart is 'overflowing with joy' after his son was successful airlifted.
Known only as DM, the Italian citizen, appealed directly to Ms Meloni and her government for assistance and she worked closely with the family to transport them to the Italian capital.
A specially modified ambulance being loaded onto a plane with military and medical personnel ready to fly to Bristol to collect the seriously baby from Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
The ambulance inside the aircraft being secured by military personnel and surrounded by medical equipment
The Italian government-funded ambulance at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children. After arriving the baby was quickly discharged and driven to an airport ten minutes away
Speaking to MailOnline, Simon Pillon, the former Italian senator involved in the baby’s transfer, said: 'I have just spoken with the father and he has told me the baby is doing well and the doctors are impressed with his will to live.
'He underwent a first operation but a second operation was postponed so as not to tire him too much.'
The family is together including the baby's four-year-old sibling and mother.
Mr Pillon said: 'Obviously, they want him to get strong so they can return to the UK but they will have to wait and for now all the family are in Rome.'
Following the successful airlift from Bristol to to Rome, the Italian father, who is from Treviso and who is married to a Nigerian in the UK expressed his thanks to all those involved.
It is understood the infant's parents, who have not been identified, were told the specialist treatment for their son's congenital heart condition would not be possible in the UK.
Mr Pillon said: 'In Britain, doctors had not deemed it appropriate to subject the child to surgery. They had started him on palliative care and there was already a hearing scheduled for April 22nd.
'When they saw the transfer and treatment protocol they were convinced and authorized the transfer.
'Initially they had pushed hard for abortion as soon as the prenatal diagnosis was made, but the parents, both Catholic, refused.'
Following the appeal to Ms Meloni for help to save their son, events this week moved at lighting speed and by Tuesday the family were in Rome.
The seriously ill one-month-old baby in a specialist incubator. The family was flown to Rome with the help of the Italian Prime Minister after his parents asked for help to save their son
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Ms Meloni and her government helped the infant travel to Rome for life-saving surgery
In a statement to MailOnline, the Italian father and his wife thanked all those involved.
The father, who has lived in the UK for many years and who also has an older child said: 'Both my wife and I have hearts overflowing with joy for what is happening.
