WHEN Deacon Gilbert was born last June, he weighed less than a bag of sugar.

Against all the odds, baby Deacon turns one next month - but the party could be in hospital as he waits for a life-saving heart operation.

His mum Jessica Gilbert, 28, who lives in Alway, Newport, said Deacon, who weighed just 1 lb 13 ounces when he was born, is a happy baby despite health problems.

She said: “He is such a smiley baby even when he’s had to have surgery.

“I really feel like I’ve been blessed with him.

“When he was born I blamed myself, I went into complete shock.

“I didn’t want to see him or touch him because I was so scared he was going to die.”

“Even now, he’s so susceptible to infections because of being born prematurely.

I’m scared to take him anywhere because he catches illnesses so easily.”

Deacon was born at just 25 weeks at the Royal Gwent Hospital on June 2 last year and like most premature babies faced a number of health problems.

Even when he was first allowed to come out of hospital in November he had to be rushed back in with heart rhythm problems after two days.

But Miss Gilbert received the best present ever when he was able to come home permanently two days before Christmas. Deacon is still small for his age, weighing just 16 lbs.

He had his first heart operation at four weeks old to fix a valve in his heart and now he needs surgery to close a hole which doctors could not do before because he was too small.

“I’m so nervous, I don’t know exactly when the operation will be and just have to wait for the hospital to phone.

“He’s going to Bristol Children’s Hospital and they have been brilliant,”

said Miss Gilbert.

“When he’s out of hospital we’re going to have a big birthday party for him to celebrate.

“I’m going to close the street and have a bouncy castle, a barbecue and a DJ. He’s obsessed with reggae music so I’ll make sure there’s lots of Bob Marley.”