SIR,

My son and daughter-in-law are expecting a baby this spring.

Their delight at the news was turned to despair when they were told the baby was suffering from a congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and only had a small chance of survival.

A hole in the baby's diaphram allows the bowel, intestines, liver and spleen to enter the chest cavity, preventing the lungs from developing.

Despite having a procedure undertaken by a pioneering professor at King's College, London, if successful, it will still only give the baby a 50/50 chance of survival.

Babies who do survive an operation to repair the hole may need long term hospital care and ongoing care with associated problems.

One in 3,000 babies are born with the condition, half of these will not survive. The support charity CDH UK has launched an e-petition asking the government to fund research into the cause of CDH with a view to prevention and cure and in the long term saving the NHS money on treatment.

If you feel able to offer your support please could you the sign the petition at the following address http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33898">http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/33898

For more information on CDH go to http://www.cdhuk.co.uk/">http://www.cdhuk.co.uk/ or visit their facebook page. Thank you.

Joanna Rollings

(Mitchel Troy)