Young Edinburgh couple arrive in Belgium for revolutionary in the womb surgery

An inspirational young Edinburgh couple set off for Belgium today for a revolutionary in-the-womb surgery that could drastically improve the living conditions of their unborn son who was diagnosed with severe Spina Bifida.

Ami and Ross with their announcement

The surgery is supported and provided in the UK by Great Ormond Street Hospital in London and will be carried out by a world renowned specialist team in Belgium .

Parents Ami Milligan, 23, and Ross MacDonald, 24, from the city’s Clermiston district, will have pre-operation checks on Thursday and Ami will have the procedure on Friday providing that everything comes back positive.

On the operation, Ami said: “We fly to Belgium and on Thursday I get my pre surgery assessments. Friday is the big day and I can officially say now that reality has hit and I’m completely terrified.“I’m just really hoping that Friday the 13 will be a lucky day for us.

Ross and Ami together

“We would really appreciate it if everyone could still share our story and donate if you can as even the smallest amount is greatly appreciated. We just want to say a massive thank you for all the donations we have raised so far. It means a lot to us and I’m sure it will mean even more to Great Ormond Street. Thank you everyone.”

The couple discovered that their unborn son had issues with his spine during a routine 20-week scan to check for any abnormalities or problems.

Medics diagnosed Spina Bifida; with the unborn tot suffering from a hole in the spine as well as the back that could severely impact his future quality of life.

But all the couple had been given was a small leaflet explaining the condition before they left to return home.

It's a boy!

This led to Ami and Ross, a local authority IT worker, researching the condition online and it was there that they discovered a new surgery that came to the UK in 2018 to treat the condition.

However the only place this was available was at the Great Ormond Street hospital as it is not yet a surgery that is offered on the NHS.

It is a complex operation which is carried out at 25 weeks of pregnancy and involves opening up the mother's stomach and womb, exposing the Spina Bifida but keeping baby in the sac and not delivering him, closing the hole in the spine, putting the baby back inside the womb safely and stitching the mother back up.

Thankfully the couple passed the criteria test and were accepted for the operation.Ami’s Mum, Claire Lothian, 36, a support worker for adults with learning disabilities, issued a heartfelt message to her daughter.She said: “One of the hardest things is seeing your daughter off at the airport knowing what she's going through hundreds of miles away and you can't be with her due to this terrible pandemic. I love you with all my heart Ami and you are a credit to me and your brother and sister. We are thinking of you constantly and are in our prayers you've got this girl and both you and my grandson will be amazing.”

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