YouTubers Sail Across Atlantic To Malta Because They ‘Thought It Would Be A Good Place To Have Their Baby’
‘Sailing Project Atticus’, a popular YouTube channel hosted by American couple Jordan and Desiree, recently decided to give birth to their first child, Isabella, here in Malta.
The couple didn’t let the upcoming delivery of their daughter put a hold on their dream of sailing across the ocean as they made this decision.
Malta’s “beautiful coastline and secluded anchorages were not (their) primary motivations” in choosing Malta, they clarify in the description of one of their YouTube videos.
They proceed to explain that the main attributes of Malta that enticed them was the island having English as a primary language, as well as a “reputable healthcare system” that their child could benefit from in the event of any “medical issues”.
This turned out to be an apt decision seeing as Isabella proceeded to experience some serious health complications during their visit to Malta.
The sailing family’s medical journey all started when Jordan noticed a grey speck on Isabella’s pupil, which, after visiting an eye specialist, was found to be a small cataract that she was born with.
This, however, revealed a serious issue for Isabella and her family.
The doctor noticed that the optic disc in Isabella’s right eye was malformed and stated that this may or may not affect her vision later in life.
The child was also diagnosed with PHACE syndrome, which is an association between large infantile hemangiomas (strawberry marks) on the face, head and/or neck, and developmental defects of the eyes, heart, major arteries and brain. The cause of this syndrome is unknown.
Prior to Desiree giving birth, her and husband explored some of the most famous spots on the Maltese Islands such as Blue Lagoon in Comino and the Marsaxlokk fish market, where they seemingly fell in love with Malta.
They shared how “exploring the Maltese Islands … has been a totally unbelievable experience”. Unbelievable indeed, and in more ways than one it seems.
Thankfully, Isabella seems to be in better health as the family set sail onto the vast ocean once again, this time with one more addition to the family.
Would you sail across the ocean and have your child abroad?
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