Couple grateful to those who kept son alive

It was an overwhelming feeling for 6-year-old Luke Drummond’s parents to see him going to school for the first time this year.

For Five Rivers couple Hannah and Craig Drummond, it was a miracle.

Two days after their son was born in Auckland, he was diagnosed with tetralogy of fallot with pulmonary atresia and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries (MAPCAs)— a condition that obstructs the flow of blood into the lungs and diverts it to the aorta.

At the time, doctors told them Luke’s chances of survival were pretty low.

"They told us — ‘you just enjoy while you got him because we don't know if he will be around for very long’," Mrs Drummond said.

"Hearing that is absolutely devastating. No parent is ever prepared to hear those words."

With support from Starship Hospital staff, they decided to take him home so he could be closer to family.

Luke was being monitored and being helped by an oxygen machine, but two weeks later his oxygen levels dropped dramatically while at home on the farm.

The family drove an hour to Southland Hospital where he was monitored, but doctors decided to transfer him to Starship Hospital in Auckland in the Starship National Air Ambulance so he could have an operation.

"That’s what saved his life. It really was. Doctors pretty much said he was too small and they didn’t think they would be able to save him but they could try," Mrs Drummond said.

"They gave him 12 hours of life at this stage so we thought — if he is going to die, why we don’t try and save him anyway? Because I can’t give up!"

Now looking at their son who is a loving boy, passionate about animals and happy — they cannot put in words how grateful they are to the Southland and Starship hospital staff and the air ambulance team.

"If it wasn't for the incredible expertise and speed of the Starship ambulance team then Luke would no longer be with us."

The couple now wanted to highlight the importance of the air service and were encouraging people to donate to keep the Starship Air Ambulance flying because it played a critical role retrieving seriously ill or injured children.

Since the first surgery, Luke has had three more open-heart surgeries and three cardiac catheter procedures.

Mrs Drummond pleaded for people to help the air ambulance service as many children, like her son, could be saved.

The air ambulance service has carried out 123 retrievals so far this year, from Whangarei to Invercargill.

"He [Luke] is going to be a bit an ongoing case but this doesn't matter because he is still alive — and it all comes down to that first operation."