Banff boy who was given a 20 per cent chance of living pre-birth set to start school
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A BANFF boy who was given just a 20 per cent chance of living before birth is set to start school in August.
Cody French (5) will begin learning at Banff Primary School after the summer break – with mum Lisa MacDonald saying he is "raring to go".
The five-year-old, who is now totally fit and healthy, was diagnosed with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) 20 weeks into his mum's pregnancy.
This meant his intestines and bowels had moved through a hole in his abdominal wall and were crushing his heart and lungs.
Ms MacDonald and partner Barry were told Cody had a small chance of living, and that a deep breath at birth could kill him. Even if he survived, it was thought he could need 24-hour care.
But, after a life-saving operation at just two days old, Cody was home with his family after 13 days.
Now fighting fit, the next milestone for the youngster is his first day of school.
Mum Lisa said: "Cody is a little live wire and a social butterfly.
"He doesn't say too much about school but he is raring to go.
"I could never have imagined this day coming. It's scary how quickly it has come around.
"When we were given the diagnosis we couldn't see past the end of the pregnancy.
"It's a huge milestone for him and for us."
Lisa added that Cody is a "bright" child and has plenty of future goals and dreams.
She said: "We were given the worst case scenarios during pregnancy but we were really lucky and Cody is completely fine.
"He is as bright as a button – he tells me facts that I don't even know that he has learned at nursery.
"He wants to be a scuba diver when he's older. He loves sea creatures, as well as lego, dinosaurs and his computer.
"You wouldn't know there was ever anything wrong with him bar the scar on his tummy – and you can't really notice that."
Lisa added that Cody has sister Keisha (20) and brothers Adam (18) and Kayden (16) "wrapped round his finger".
Roughly one in 3000 children are diagnosed with CDH, with Lisa encouraging anyone in a similar position to get in touch with charity CDH UK.
The early days of Cody's life have been documented on Facebook, at www.facebook.com/lissyloumacody.
