Five-year-old hospitalized since birth heads home with his family

A young boy who has required hospitalization since his birth five years ago has been discharged and is now home after 1,909 days in the hospital.

Key Takeaways:

Theo Chatham was born prematurely in 2021.
At three weeks old, he contracted necrotizing enterocolitis, which led to a number of significant health problems.
He required hospitalization for five years, and was discharged for the very first time in June.

The Details:

Theo Chatham of Scotland was born to Gary and Sarah Chatham on April 1, 2021, when Sarah was 32 weeks pregnant. He weighed just three pounds at birth, which necessitated a stay in the hospital as he continued to grow.

When Theo was three weeks old, he contracted necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a gastrointestinal illness that led to numerous other health challenges. According to Glasgow Live, young Theo experienced brain damage, cerebral visual impairment, and focal epilepsy, all due to the NEC.

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Over the course of the next few years, Theo underwent more than 200 procedures — 48 of which were considered life-saving.

READ: Born at 23 weeks, miracle baby Abiageal is the youngest person to survive major abdominal surgery

Sarah told PEOPLE that at one point, doctors had asked them to consider giving up hope.

“On his third ever operation, they gave us a talk that we might have to sign his life away,” she said. “I refused. I said, ‘I’m not God, and neither are you, so please put my son through that operation.’”

Though on several occasions Theo was allowed to go home for the day, he was always required to return to the hospital overnight.

“There was never a day when he wasn’t in the hospital, and he would have to be on IV drugs,” Sarah explained.

Zoom In:

Though his parents felt at times he would never leave the hospital, Theo slowly improved. On June 23, after 1,909 days, he was officially discharged. Theo is now preparing to start at a specialized school, and his parents are excited to watch him thrive.

"This is now our time to enjoy us as a family. Theo's journey shows that there is always light at the end of the tunnel," Gary said.

"It's been such a whirlwind, but we've been ready for this," Sarah added. "But Theo is Theo, he adapts so quickly."

The Bottom Line:

Theo's story is a testament to what can happen when even the smallest and sickest children are given loving care and the best treatment possible.

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