Nick Cutajar was the first Maltese patient to have a thymus gland surgically implanted when he was just a few months old.

Nick, who is now two years old, was born with numerous complications, which also included heart problems. “My wife, Marilyn had a healthy pregnancy,” her husband Malcolm said, “and there were no signs of any problems before Nick was born, so when we were informed that he would need heart surgery we were under a lot of shock.”

Apart from having heart problems, Nick was also born without a thymus gland, which is an important gland that produces Tcells which form part of the body’s immunity to protect against germs, viruses and infections.

“At first we did not realise how big of an issue this was as we were so concerned about his heart problems and his surgery.” For the first three months, Nick and his parents lived at the hospital taking numerous tests and treatments, and shortly after they travelled to the UK for Nick’s open heart surgery.

“It was a period of travelling to and fro to the hospital via the underground. The surgery was successful, and when we finally came home we realised how all the travelling, expenses and support would not have been possible without the aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation.”

Malcolm explained how he and his family balanced out work, school, hospital appointments and everyday life. After spending four weeks in the UK the first time for his heart surgery, Nick and his parents travelled back three months later for his thymus transplant.

“When we had to travel with our son, my daughter Jade and son Liam would stay with either my parents or my wife’s. We are very lucky that they helped us so much during this time.”

Malcolm said that it was not just family members that helped but also the Karl Vella Foundation. A foundation which provides educational and psychological assistance to those children in families who are going through a difficult phase due to a serious illness.

“The MCCFF also aids such foundations to keep running, so indirectly MCCFF helps not just Nick, but also my two other children, which we are all so grateful for all this support.” He also highlighted the fantastic staff at the Disney Ward and Paediatric Day Care at Mater Dei.

“All the doctors, nurses and specialists are always so caring and patient and were there to teach us everything about Nick’s illness. This journey would have been much more difficult without their constant aid and support.”

Nick still needs constant treatment due to having such a weak immune system. Malcolm explained that once every three weeks Nick is taken to hospital for IVIG (artificial immune system), a treatment which takes practically a whole day. So far it is hard to say if and when they would need to go up for treatment again, and when the last trip would be.

He said that Nick’s toys growing up would be medical equipment, such as a stethoscope and syringes. “We need to be very careful where we take him because we never know what could happen to him.”

He explained that since his immunity is so weak, Nick has not started playschool yet, and when his brother or sister are not feeling well, they go stay with their grandparents.

“Jade and Liam are very observant for their age and take a lot of care of their brother, if they are out and see that someone is coughing a lot for example, they make sure we take extra care of Nick. Right now, seeing him play like this with other children makes me feel happy, but at the back of my mind I am still aware that I need to always alert.”

He points out that despite the daily hospital appointments and treatment, Nick has a playful and happy-go-lucky personality, as he smiles and waves at his father whilst playing and running around.

“At the ward sometimes Nick can be hesitant, he would cry a bit at first but then he would give out his hand for the doctor put his cannula tube in, showing everyone that he is aware of what is happening.”

Malcolm and his family are truly grateful for all the work MCCFF have done, not just for Nick but for so many other families which are going through a difficult time.

“We look at how much we have travelled, so many hospital appointments and treatments taken for Nick, and it would not have been possible at all without the help of MCCFF, especially Claire Micallef Pule, who now is also a dear friend of ours.”

He explained that as a nation we do not realise how much charity and aid is done for people in need, and not just financial aid, but emotional and psychological empathy and care.

“The operations that Nick had cost thousands, and MCCFF have helped us not just financially, but they are there every step of the way, and we are so lucky and grateful to have so much support and care for our little one.”

L-Istrina, the annual fundraising telethon in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation, will be held on 26 December, starting at noon.