British month-old boy survives first operation following airlift to Italy for treatment after NHS said he was too ill to go under the knife

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.

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. 

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.

'Now we hope that the entire medical process goes well and may our child's recovery be achieved soon.

'We sincerely thank the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano and the officials of the Presidency of the Council including in particular the councilors Nicola Guerzoni and Francesco Farri who provided their indispensable contribution.

'Special thanks go to the head doctors Professor Galletti and Professor Di Chiara and to the staff of the Bambin Gesù pediatric hospital who decided to take the matter to heart.

'Big thanks also to the deputy diplomatic advisor Alessandro Cattaneo, to the Italian Embassy and to the Italian consul in London Domenico Bellantone and for the discreet and continuous support provided by the British hospital for following our son and for authorizing the transfer without obstacles.

'We thank the Italian Air Force and in particular the Flight Office and the command of the 46th Air Brigade for making the transfer possible.'

A specially modified ambulance arrived at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children to collect the seriously ill baby.

To avoid the little boy being exposed to too many transfers, an innovative solution was found which relied on an Italian ambulance being brought over the to the UK.

The specialist ambulance arrived at the aircraft from Bambino Gesù hospital with two head doctors in cardiac surgery and resuscitation.

The vehicle was then loaded onto Air Force C-130 and taken to Bristol.

After arriving, the child was quickly discharged and and taken to an airport ten minutes away where the plane was waiting to take him back to Rome for treatment.

The arrival of the Italian ambulance was the culmination of the worried family's appeal to the Italian prime minister.     

The family had been preparing to start a legal battle with the hospital and had planned to apply to the High Court on Monday.

However, a long court battle was avoided after a deal was struck whereby the family would be flown to Rome on an aircraft funded by the Italian government. 

After arriving in Rome on Tuesday the baby was treated at the Vatican-funded Bambino Gesu children's hospital where he underwent a double operation. 

Speaking to The Times, the father thanked the Italian government for their help. He said: 'My wife and I are very happy and relieved.' 

He also thanked the doctors and nurses at Bristol Royal Hospital 'for smoothly authorising and supporting us and our son through this process.'

Simone Pillon, the Italian lawyer representing the parents, said: 'We are very pleased that we have been able to demonstrate to the UK that it is possible to work together and safely transfer children with serious medical conditions from the UK to Rome for specialist treatment.' 

Mr Pillon was involved in the case of Indi Gregory last year. 

Indi, who had an incurable genetic mitochondrial condition, was at the centre of of a legal battle last year where her parents were involved in several High Court and Court of Appeal cases over life support treatment.

Ms Meloni got involved once again in this case and stepped in and made her a citizen in a last-minute legal bid to bring her to a Rome hospital for treatment. 

But that attempt failed, and her parents Dean Gregory and Claire Staniforth were told that her breathing tube would be removed.

She was moved from the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham (QMC) to a hospice where she died in the early hours of November 13 2023.

In a statement to The Times, a spokesperson for Bristol Royal Hospital said officials 'worked with Bambino Gesu Children's Hospital to support the safe transfer of a newborn patient to Rome. Due to patient confidentiality, it would not be appropriate to go into specific details regarding a patient's care.'