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When Gabrielle Simboli brought her newborn son Jacob home from the hospital, she knew their medical journey was just beginning.
Jacob was born prematurely with multiple heart defects, lung disease, and feeding complications. He faced a daunting road ahead.
At just three months old, he would undergo open-heart surgery to repair multiple ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and an atrial septal defect (ASD). But before that, he had to survive — and thrive — at home.
Living in Bourget, Ont., about a 40-minute drive from CHEO, Gabrielle and her family were supported by the CHEO Rapid Response Nursing (RRN) team. Nurse Melissa Gobeil provided critical in-home care and monitoring, ensuring Jacob remained stable while awaiting surgery.
“We’re so thankful for that support,” Gabrielle said. “Our nurse was absolutely amazing.”
Gobeil visited frequently—sometimes twice a week—monitoring Jacob’s cardiac, respiratory, and feeding status. She coordinated closely with his cardiology team and was available daily by phone to answer questions and provide reassurance. For Gabrielle, that support was more than clinical—it was deeply personal.
“She would just check in even when she wasn't on the clock,” Gabrielle recalled. “That really reassured us to know that she cared, and it wasn't just a job for her.”
Before surgery, Jacob struggled with severe symptoms: vomiting, weight loss, difficulty breathing, and an inability to tolerate feeds. He was fed through a nasogastric (NG) tube, and he struggled to gain weight. But despite his condition, Jacob’s spirit shone through.
“He’s a very, very happy baby,” Gabrielle said.
“Even when he was very sick and had heart failure ... he would smile, but he would be crying at the same time.”
The surgery was a turning point. “It was day and night,” Gabrielle said.
Jacob began to breathe more easily, feed more effectively, and gain weight. With continued support from the RRN team, the family also discovered food allergies that had been contributing to his health issues. Adjusting his diet brought even more improvement.
Today, Jacob is meeting developmental milestones and showing the same resilience that carried him through his earliest challenges.
“He’s got a strong personality,” Gabrielle said. “He’s very resilient and very strong-minded.”
For Gabrielle, the experience underscored the vital role of community-based nursing care for medically complex children. CHEO continues to focus on bringing care and expertise closer to home for children, youth and families in eastern Ontario.