Our little fighter Leo is on the road to recovery (From Southend Standard)

Our little fighter Leo is on the road to recovery

5:00pm Friday 30th October 2009

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A BABY who weighed just 1lb 6oz when he was born four months premature is on the road to recovery.

Leo Coombs has already been treated for the MRSA superbug, a collapsed lung, had a heart operation, and half his bowel removed.

Leo originally tipped the scales at just 1lb 6oz, which is less than a bag of sugar that weighs 2lb 2oz. Now, at just over two months old, he is getting better and weighs around 3lb.

He was born in southend.nhs.uk/" target="_blank">Southend Hospital, but had to be rushed to a specialist unit at Luton and Dunstable Hospital, then transferred to the Rosie Hospital, in Cambridge, where he has been fighting for survival ever since.

His mum Donna, 34, who lives in Victoria Road, Southend, and was raised in Pitsea, and grandad Tim Coombs, 59, also from Southend, hope he will be home in time for Christmas.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr Coombs said: “He’s come through so much already in his short life and is obviously a little fighter.

“He was not due to be born until December 15, so we certainly don’t expect him to be out of hospital by then.

“However, we’re hoping to have him home by Christmas, which would be the best possible present for everyone.”

Donna is at little Leo’s bedside and he is due to have another operation today on his bowel, which is expected to take around two-and-a- half hours.

If successful, it will mean he will no longer have to use a colostomy bag.

Mr Coombs said: “He originally had the colostomy bag fitted, after he had an infection and doctors removed half his bowel.

“If this latest operation is successful, we are hoping they will give him a couple of days to recover, then send him back to Southend Hospital.

“It will be good to know he is closer to home.”

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