INDIANAPOLIS — The Novak-Breyt family will forever be grateful for their son's remarkable second chance at life, thanks to a second opinion at Riley Children's Hospital.
They are now part of Riley Children's Foundation year-end campaign, sharing their story to highlight how generous donations are helping fund the life-changing care they and so many other grateful families receive.
Rowan Breyt was considered a "micro-preemie," born at just 23 weeks weighing just 1 pound, 6 ounces. His parents would soon learn he was battling necrotizing enterocolitis.
"That is basically where the intestines start to die off...it affects primarily premature infants," Rowan's mother, Jessica Novak, said.
By the time doctors did detect Rowan's symptoms, his prognosis was bleak.
"They told us he has 3 centimeters of viable intestine remaining," Rowan's dad, Daniel Breyt, said. "And there was no chance for him to ever eat or ever grow."
Rowan's parents were told to start planning their son's funeral, but Jessica insisted Rowan wasn't done fighting just yet.
She pushed for him to receive care elsewhere. He was eventually life-flighted from an Illinois hospital to Riley in Indianapolis for a second opinion that was both life-changing and life-saving.
"We spoke to their transplant department, and the doctor didn't want to say they were wrong, but he didn't believe it was as bad as the other hospital thought," Daniel said. "And so they decided to take his case."
At just over 1 month old, Rowan underwent a successful second surgery, with an outcome even better than what his parents had hoped to hear.
"They see a lot of pink intestines, and you know, just everything was going good," Daniel said, recalling a conversation he had with one of Rowan's nurses just after his operation. "I started to cry, and she didn't realize what she had just told me. I said, 'Ma'am, they told us at the other hospital that there was no viable intestine left. What you are telling me is a miracle right now — that my son is going to be OK or that there is still a chance.'"
Rowan is 4 years old now, and though full of energy and smiles, he still needs follow-up care at Riley.
Jessica now works in Riley's Milk Lab, which helps provide breast milk for other moms who have difficulty creating their own. Ironically, breast milk helps protect babies against the very condition that almost took her son too soon.
"Now when I'm at Riley leaving or coming in and I hear a helicopter, it kind of gives me that feeling of, 'Oh, I'm glad they are here, and hopefully, they will get the care that we received,'" Jessica said.
To learn more about Riley Children's Foundation's year-end giving campaign, click here.