Haven Greyson Smith, born at just 25 weeks, has turned two years old after overcoming health complications, including kidney problems and COVID-19.
Nicknamed “Mighty Peanut”, Baby Haven weighed just 0.9 pounds when he was born two years ago in 2019. He was the smallest baby born at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Stanford, that year.
Doctors told his parents that their tiny baby only had a 10% chance of survival.
Spending eight months in a neonatal intensive care unit, Haven endured bronchopulmonary dysplasia, pulmonary hypertension, kidney complications and a strangulated hernia, which required life-saving surgery.
Haven was also the third baby in the United States to get COVID-19. Experiencing a fever, as well as suffering from low oxygen, he lost one-fifth of his weight. But Haven pulled through.
Reflecting on the last two years, Amanda, who served in Afghanistan, said: “It hasn’t always been easy, but none of that matters. I have a thriving 2-year-old, which I didn’t always believe I’d have.”
“Every day my son is alive is a good day. He’s truly a walking Stanford miracle”, said Amanda.
Today, Haven is flourishing. He runs, never walks, and loves cuddles.
SPUC comment
A SPUC spokesperson said: “Like his brave mother, Haven is a fighter, overcoming the odds and showing that we should never give up, either on ourselves or others.
“With the dedication, care and help of medical professionals and a family, anything is possible.”
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