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Miracle Baby Born With Her Brain Growing Through The Back Of Her Head

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A newborn baby girl has defied the odds after she was born with a hole in the back of her head that her brain started to grow in.

Miracle tot Alana Long came into the world last February despite doctors telling her parents, Catherine and Mark, that she would most likely die in the womb or immediately after birth as a result of encephalocele.

The condition saw a huge purple growth grow at the back of her head as a result of a hole in her skull.

However, now 11-months-old Alana from Accrington, Lancashire, is getting ready for her first birthday after the growth in her head was successfully removed.

Medics have warned that the brave tot will face a lifetime battle after the delicate operation left her partially sighted and with slower development.

But proud mum Catherine, a checkout operator who also gave birth to older daughter Emily, six, at just 26 weeks, insists she does not regret her choice to give Alana ‘a chance at life’.

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Condition: Alana’s brain started to grow through the hole in her head (Caters)

She said: “If you look at her now she is like any normal little girl.

"We found at about the encephalocele at 20 weeks and it was upsetting at first.

"And then we looked it up and looked at the facts and decided to continue with the pregnancy because we were told she would either die in utero or at birth.

"We decided to give her a chance to live a normal life but we do think that Alana will be severely disabled.

"She is still going strong and laughing though.”

Alana was whisked away from her mother as soon as she was born to prepare her for the life-saving operation at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester.

Eight days later the growth was removed - but it proved to be the toughest test Catherine had to face.

She added: "When she underwent surgery, it was pretty terrifying really.

"It was awful waiting to hear that she is okay - it is probably the worst that I have ever been.

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Miracle: The tot defied the odds to survive birth (Caters)

"It was such a long wait because she had a seizure as they were trying to bring her round.

"When she was brought round the next day, it was a such a huge relief to hear that everything was okay.”

The proud mum now insists that Alana is 'very happy’ as she continues to grow.

Catherine said: “Now she is a very content little girl and she doesn’t cry although can’t express herself.

"She does scratch her face and we think it is because she does not have pain perception but we are waiting to see.

"But she is a lovely girl to have and she is very happy and always smiling despite the challenges that she faces every day.”

Top pic: Caters