All Aboard: VMFH Spine Surgeon Helps Deliver Healthy Baby on Washington State Ferry

In life, you can't always predict every twist and turn. Dr. Eric Varley, a spine surgeon at Virginia Mason, experiences this life lesson nearly everyday – both in – and outside of the OR.

Delivering a baby wasn’t in Varley's plans as he boarded a ferry with his family a few weeks ago following a Bioluminescence kayak trip. Just as the ferry was departing Lopez Island for Anacortes, a passenger went into labor. The boat crew immediately made a call for anyone who had medical experience and luckily there were a few physicians on board, including Varley.

As a spine surgeon, acting purposefully while creating a calm, focused environment for a health care team comes second nature to Varley. He and his wife, a trained mother-baby nurse, headed off to assist the mother. A retired family practice doctor well practiced in deliveries also stepped forward to help.

“At first, we all stopped to think through what we were going to do,” shared Varley. “My first reaction was to break this complex situation into simple steps, delegate responsibilities, and then organize ourselves around the patient to fully utilize our limited resources.”

The mother was swiftly taken to a private area on the boat. With the family practice physician and his wife focused on mom and baby, Varley sprang into action to assist with coordinating on-land support. Varley coordinated with Emergency Medical Services, the local hospital and helicopter transport services to alert them of the situation, knowing they would be potentially critical in this next phase of patient care. He helped create an onboard delivery room with an infant warming and resuscitation station set up on the top of a repurposed cargo container.

Outside the room, Varley’s two children (15 and 17) stepped in to take care of the toddler sibling also making the trip with his parents. The Washington State Ferry crew cleared the area of all other passengers to ensure the best experience for mom and baby.

While the medical team focused in and the crew and full-boat of passengers waited in anticipation, the mother gave birth to a baby boy in a room the size of a small office. The exciting news came over the PA system, “A healthy baby boy has just been born.” A loud cheer erupted across the boat.

“I think life is made rich by embracing those unexpected moments,” Varley said. “The coalescence of a group of people, in this case people who had never met before, to accomplish something of great significance is really an indescribable experience.”

Varley described it all as surreal. To see a team come together unexpectedly, evaluate the situation and then execute with a sense of calm purpose was familiar and incredible.

The mother and newborn were airlifted to a hospital in Anacortes. The father and their toddler were cheered off with ferry boat snacks gifted by the crew.

Varley approaches each day with patients similarly to how he did that day on the ferry: with an open mind, a deep sense of gratitude, and a dedication to make a positive difference in someone’s life.

“My relationship with patients extends beyond surgery or addressing a single issue,” he noted. “Everyday I get the chance to work with great people focused on improving someone’s quality of life. Our goal is to provide top tier spine care while empowering our patients to take a step further along the path of a healthier and fuller life.”

He attributes much of this success to his family, mentors and current team.

“We are all forged from our experiences and the people we share our lives with – I have been incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by the very best.”