Dr Babu film wins national charity award
The film of paediatric consultant Mahesh Babu being reunited with seven-year-old Joshua Newman – the boy he saved at birth – won the People’s Choice award at the national Charity Film Awards.
The ceremony was broadcast online with Joshua and his family, Dr Babu and the team who made the film from Healthwatch Essex joining together on a Zoom call to watch the winners announced.
“We had such a wonderful evening, it was a very happy occasion,” said Dr Babu. “Joshua is an amazing boy and the Newmans deserve it. They have done so much over the years to support the NHS.
"Joshua had so many complications we never thought he’d be doing what he’s doing now at this age. He’s a survivor.”
Joshua was born at 28 weeks, weighing just 2lbs 7oz, and suffered six cardiac arrests. Joshua’s mum, Suzy, credits Dr Babu with saving her son’s life.
Dr Babu, who has worked at Broomfield since 1994, vividly remembers the night Joshua was born.
“Joshua is one of my most memorable patients. He was antenatally diagnosed with a heart condition and when he was born he was in a poorly state. He needed ventilation to support his breathing.
“I was on call and I was trying to resuscitate him in the neonatal unit. It was very difficult that night with the oxygen saturation and oxygen levels in the blood, and we had great trouble in getting Joshua the appropriate ventilation strategy to stabilise him.
“Even that night his mother was telling me that I was doing the right thing and to please continue – they were so supportive to the team of nurses and doctors.
“Joshua is a wonderful, happy boy. If he sees me in the clinic he’ll come running to me! It’s such a pleasure to see him and his family when they come to paediatric and cardiac clinics.”
Asked how it felt to now be a film star, Dr Babu laughed and said: "I'm not the star, Joshua is!"