Five-year-old girl finally free of ventilator, doing 'things she never could'

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New images show little girl finally detached from ventilator

Five-year-old Diana Galleno no longer requires her bulky ventilator.

A little girl can finally run freely without being chained to her ventilator thanks to a medical miracle. Brand new pictures show a five-year-old Peruvian girl untethered from her breathing machine after Chicago doctors performed a six-hour surgery last year.

Little Diana was disconnected last month from the heavy ventilator that prevented her from running around. (© Diana Belmont / SWNS.com)

Diana Galleno had not been able to breathe on her own since she was just one week old because she has congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) – a rare disorder that impacts breathing.

Diana and her family flew from Lima to Chicago in October so surgeons at Lurie Children’s Hospital could insert a special pacer into the girl's chest. (© Diana Belmont / SWNS.com)

Newly released video and pictures released by SWNS show Diana running around after doctors disconnected her in December from her 15 pound ventilator that has been attached to her for most of her life.

The girl's mother, also named Diana, says she is amazed to watch her do the things she never could. (© Diana Belmont / SWNS.com)

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Diana has congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS), a rare disorder that impacts breathing. (© Diana Belmont / SWNS.com)

“As a mom it’s amazing to watch her do the things she never could,” said her mother, also named Diana.

Diana was diagnosed when she was just a week old and permanently attached to a ventilator. Now, five years later, she is free from the 15-pound machine. (© Diana Belmont / SWNS.com)

"We were always running after a little girl carrying this thing all the time, it was exhausting. We tried to keep everything normal for her," she said.

"If she wanted to go down the slide, we would help her to with the vent but, no matter how hard you tried, there were limitations to what she could do."

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The Gallenos flew from Lima to Chicago in October so surgeons at Lurie Children’s Hospital could insert a special pacer into Diana's chest.

The device is able to send electric impulses to Diana's diaphragm and stimulate breathing.

“To see the difference this procedure makes in the lives of children like Diana is what keeps us doing what we’re doing,” said Dr. Anthony Chin, Director of Surgical Critical Care.