A mother who has been fighting for more than two decades to uncover why her son was left brain damaged after birth has finally received an apology from her health board. Following an uneventful pregnancy Gareth Pembroke was born at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend on August, 22, 1996 – but he died just six years later.
Hours after the normal birth mum Janet Lane noticed Gareth was unusually sleepy, unresponsive, and disinterested in feeding. He was cold to touch and looked pale with a blue tinge around his top lip. While she raised concerns about her baby son with hospital staff she claims they were dismissed. As a result he was left brain damaged after a metabolic condition, known as argininosuccinic aciduria, was allegedly not picked up by medics triggered a cardiac arrest.
The failings caused Gareth to require round-the-clock care and spend his life in and out of hospital suffering from frequent upper respiratory tract infections, sleep apnoea, and tonsillitis. He also had a significant daily drug regime and experienced up to 40 fits a day due to epilepsy. Despite this, Gareth was described by his family as a "happy little boy who had a zest for life".
