A baby boy who spent the first 18 months of his life in hospital is finally home, just in time to celebrate his first Christmas with his family.
A Fight for Life from the Very Start
Bertie Melly entered the world unexpectedly early in May 2024, born at just 24 weeks weighing a tiny 1lb 10oz at St Thomas’ Hospital in London. His parents, Phoebe and Callum Melly from Bromley, soon faced every parent's worst nightmare. Bertie was diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), a severe and life-threatening illness that causes inflammation and death of intestinal tissue.
His fight began almost immediately. At just ten days old, Bertie underwent his first major bowel surgery. In total, he has needed five operations in his short life. The condition meant he lost around 70% of his small intestine, leaving him with what is known as a short gut.
The Long Road of Recovery and Care
Bertie spent his first six months in neonatal intensive care before being transferred to the specialist Evelina London Children’s Hospital. His parents remained by his side, staying at the nearby Ronald McDonald House. His medical team worked tirelessly to stabilise him, managing complex needs including being tube-fed milk and receiving vital nutrients, minerals and amino acids directly into his bloodstream via an IV line.
"Considering everything he’s been through – if you see his hands, his hands are covered in scars from the amount of cannulas he’s had, he’s got gaping scars all over his abdomen – and he wakes up beaming, goes to bed, beaming," said his father, Callum, 37. "He’s a remarkable little human being."
A Hopeful Homecoming and Future Goals
After an incredible 547 days in hospital – far exceeding the average six-month stay for a 24-week preemie – Bertie was finally discharged in November 2025. His mother, Phoebe, 34, reports he is now "thriving" at home. "He’s physically developing really well," she said. "He’s climbing up the stairs, on and off the sofa, and getting a bit more confident with his standing."
The family's immediate focus is on helping Bertie progress with solid foods, with the goal of eventually weaning him off his feeding tube and IV nutrition line, which goes directly to his heart. His father is hopeful this line could be removed within six months to a year, which would allow them to lead a "pretty much normal life."
While there remains a lifelong risk of bowel obstruction, the family is focusing on the immense progress made. "We’ve made so much progress in 18 months, so who knows where we’ll be in a year’s time," Phoebe added.
This Christmas, the Melly family is cherishing the simple, normal moments they longed for. They have taken Bertie to meet Father Christmas and are enjoying buying presents without the space constraints of a hospital room. Most of all, they are "eternally grateful" to the NHS teams at St Thomas' and Evelina London. As Callum poignantly stated: "They saved his life at the end of the day, on countless occasions."
