UK doctors have successfully carried out surgery to save a baby girl born with her heart outside her body, allowing her heart to move back into her chest in what is reportedly a UK first.
Vanellope's parents bravely opted not to terminate the pregnancy and to instead put their trust in medical science. Now, after three surgeries over the course of three weeks at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester, Vanellope has survived in what is described by The Independent as a "first in the UK."
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The media outlet reports that the initial surgery took place within an hour of her delivery, with hospital staff and specialized equipment having been prepared beforehand. Lines were inserted into her blood vessels and umbilical cord to provide her with medications and fluids to support her heart, as well as to monitor her blood pressure.
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A week later, surgeons began the second operation to open her chest some more in order to provide space for her heart to fit inside.
Vanellope's mother said that she was named after a Disney princess known for her stubbornness, while her father said that her middle name "Hope" is a reminder that while some might choose to terminate, hope is ever present.
