​​​​​​​Perth couple, Sofia and Matt, are eternally grateful to the Royal Flying Doctor Service for helping to save the life of their newborn daughter, Calvary.

The couple knew their baby would require life-saving surgery when she was born. Sofia’s 20-week scan alerted them that Calvary had an interrupted aortic arch and holes in her heart.

Sofia had planned to deliver the baby at the Royal Children’s Hospital where specialist care for her daughter’s condition was available. But Calvary had other plans: arriving prematurely at 35 weeks and weighing only 2.1kgs.

“We did not anticipate the situation of our gorgeous girl, Calvary, arriving early. The panic set in straight away on how to get her over to Melbourne for the open-heart surgery she required.” Sofia said.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service transported Calvary from Perth’s Princess Margaret Hospital to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne so she could receive the life-saving surgery.  It was an emergency dash of almost 3000 kilometres.

“It was very nerve-wracking to have our daughter on a flight across the country without being by her side. But we knew she was in safe hands and her nurse sent us pictures of Calv during the flight to reassure us that she was okay.”

When Calvary arrived in Melbourne, she was sent straight into the theatre for open-heart surgery. Calvary would have her second open heart surgery in Perth, at the tender age of seven months.

These days, despite Calvary’s rocky start to life, she is a happy, bubbly three-year-old who enjoys playing with her four siblings and friends.​​​​​​​