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Heartbroken mum pays tribute to tot

Adam Derbyshire
10/11/2004

A MUM has described how her world collapsed after her baby contracted pneumonia and died following an operation.

Safura Zulfqar, 19, paid tribute to 'little fighter' Mahek who was born with a portion of her oesophagus tract missing.

When doctors discovered the problem, the 13-month-old tot was put on a ventilator and had an operation within three months.

A tube was fitted to her throat which helped drain away fluids, while a second was fitted in her stomach to allow the family to feed her at home.

Paediatricians at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester planned to take a piece of her bowel and use it to bridge the gap between the tract, an inquest heard. But they had to wait nearly a year to carry out the operation until Mahek could sit up by herself.

Safura, of Whiteacre Road, Ashton said: "I still find it hard to talk about losing her. She thrived despite her problems. To look at her you wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong. She was my first child and we miss her lots."

Paediatrician Dr Antonino Morabito told the court: "When we attempted to carry out the first operation on Mahek, we quickly discovered the gap was too big for a repair operation to be completed successfully. Mahek could have lived with the tubes in her stomach and neck, but what quality of life would she have had?"

Mahek was later transferred to intensive care, but collapsed on 24 April and had to be resuscitated. However, she was deemed well enough to go home soon after.

On 25 May, Safura noticed Mahek was drinking lots of water.

"I went to check on her cot in the early hours and found her limp and not breathing," she said.

A post-mortem revealed she had contracted bronchial pneumonia.

Verdict: natural causes.