Former Partner of ‘Geordie Shore’ Star Aaron Chalmers Shares Update on Youngest Son’s Health

Aaron Chalmers poses for a portrait during the Aaron Chalmers and Paulie Malignaggi Training Session at the Peacock Gym in London on Nov. 1, 2018. (James Chance/Getty Images)

Talia Oatway, the former partner of television personality Aaron Chalmers, star of the British reality show “Geordie Shore,” has given an emotional update on the health of their youngest son, Oakley.

The toddler, who turns 2 in August, was born with Apert syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes abnormalities in the bones of the skull, hands, and feet.

On Sunday, Ms. Oatway shared via social media that Oakley had to undergo surgery this weekend after a hole was found under his skull. The 30-year-old mother explained that the hole was leaking cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, a clear fluid that protects the brain and spinal cord, per the Mayo Clinic.

“He’s got a lumbar drain in for now to help drain the CSF,” she wrote in a since-expired Instagram story. “There will be a meeting Monday to discuss the next step which will probably lead to another operation which could be a shunt.”

In an ensuing video, posted on Monday, Ms. Oatway elaborated on the procedure, which she said has “been so stressful.”

“It’s been a dramatic morning. Oakley’s lumbar drain, the previous one that he had, the site has been stitched, I think, three times, um, but it’s leaking CSF again. So they’re going to try and re-stitch it,” she said, noting that if the lumbar drain doesn’t work, doctors will have to place a shunt, or hollow tube, in Oakley’s brain to help drain the fluid.

“I just see no light at the end of the tunnel at the moment,” she said. “I just feel so guilty for him.”

In a subsequent video, Ms. Oatway said her son spent much of Sunday evening projectile vomiting.

“So they had to, like, reduce how much fluid they’re trying to get out of him from the lumbar drain, um, in case that was why. And then this morning he’s just been quite lethargic,” she said. “My brain is just frazzled from it all.”

Oakley’s Health Battle

Earlier in June, Ms. Oatway revealed that Oakley had undergone 12 operations already, most recently having three procedures in May.

“My heart could burst with pride,” she wrote on May 23. “Son you are the meaning of strength. Thank you to everyone who had wished for Oakley. Let get on the road to recovery baby. Im sharing our journey as a family and to raise awareness.”

Ms. Oatway, who has a 10-year-old daughter named Siennah from a previous relationship, shares two other children with Mr. Chalmers. The former couple, who dated for five years before separating in the fall of 2022, had their first child, Romeo, in April 2020, before welcoming their second son, Maddox, in April the following year.

In August 2022, Ms. Oatway took to Instagram to share that she'd given birth to her fourth child, briefly touching upon Oakley’s health struggles. “The last few days have been so emotional and exhausting,” she wrote shortly after his birth in an Instagram post dated Aug. 26.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who has sent us love,” she added, noting that the family had “been spending time at the hospital” with Oakley.

According to the Boston Children’s Hospital, approximately one out of every 65,000 to 88,000 children are born with Apert syndrome. The disorder is caused by a mutation of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene, which occurs during the early stages of pregnancy.

Although most cases of Apert syndrome occur without a known family history, the disorder can be inherited. If one parent has the genetic condition, there is a 50 percent chance that their child will be born with the syndrome.

The severity of the symptoms varies from person to person, however, because FGFR2 is vital for bone growth, disruptions to this gene can result in a variety of skeletal development anomalies, such as craniosynostosis. The condition arises when one or more of the fibrous joints in a baby’s skull close too early before the brain can fully form, often resulting in an elongated skull.

Other primary characteristics of the rare disorder include webbed or conjoined fingers, fused toes, a cleft palate, and an underdeveloped upper jaw.

On June 1, Ms. Oatway penned a special Instagram post in honor of Apert Syndrome Awareness Month, observed annually in June, sharing that she had never heard of Apert syndrome prior to Oakley’s birth.

“Like most children born with Apert syndrome, Oakley’s condition went undiagnosed prenatally and I had no idea until he was born. This was such a shock and I admit at first it was hard to come to terms with,” she wrote.

“The last 18 months have been a rollercoaster of emotions… fear, sadness, anxiety, happiness, joy, and amazement. I’ve watched Oakley achieve things I didn’t know would be possible. He is the strongest, bravest, most resilient boy I’ve ever met. His smile lights up the room and I am so very proud of him,” Ms. Oatway said.

“Throughout June I am going to be sharing facts and information about Apert Syndrome to raise awareness and understanding of the condition,” she shared. “To all of the Apert families, and other medical families, you are not alone.”