Isla’s first hours were critical - and so was your support
Four year old Isla is a clever, curious and happy little girl who loves skateboarding and preschool, but her start to life was anything but easy.
Born after a long awaited IVF pregnancy, complications during her delivery left Isla severely oxygen deprived. The situation was critical and doctors feared she might not survive. They were particularly concerned about hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), a type of brain injury caused when the brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen - which can lead to epilepsy, motor and developmental delays or long-term cognitive challenges.
Thankfully Isla was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Wellington Regional Hospital, where she was immediately placed on a Foundation funded therapeutic cooling system. This specialised equipment gently reduced Isla’s core body temperature to slow her metabolic rate, giving her brain and heart time to recover and reducing the risk of long term damage.
Thanks to swift action, advanced hospital equipment and your generous support, Isla made a remarkable recovery.