Thank you for visiting our JustGiving page where we are hoping to raise as much money as possible for the amazing Neoangels charity.

In August 2016, we were full of mixed emotions, as any other couple awaiting their 12 weeks scan.  Never in a million years did we expect to hear 'there are two babies in there!' and we were both overjoyed.  A discrepancy in the size of the twins meant we were booked in for a scan at the Fetal Medicine department the following week.  Needless to say, we weren't expecting it to be our second home for the next 4 months!

The midwife sonographer completing the scan was very worried by the difference in size and the lack of fluid around the smaller twin and suspected Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) so a consultant had a closer look and that's when our elation from the week before disappeared and anxiety took over.  TTTS is when identical twins share a placenta but have their own sac.  Blood vessels in the placenta can join together and blood from one twin can pass to the other twin.  The smaller twin receives no blood or nutrients and the larger twin receives too much blood which can also be very dangerous.   This is extremely rare in very early twin pregnancies and the earliest it can be treated is at 16 weeks gestation. 

We were prepared through a very fraught discussion with the consultant to expect the worst at the scans in the following weeks. All we ever hoped for were two heartbeats.  On 24th August we went in for our usual weekly scan at 16 weeks to find 2 hearts were still beating.  This was all the consultant needed and within one hour we were sitting on a train to London to undergo laser ablation at Kings College! The consultant inserted a camera into my womb and seeing our babies on a screen right in front of us, began lasering all the blood vessels that joined the twins in the placenta.  Following the treatment, we had the longest hour to wait until we had another ultrasound to see if the tiny babies had survived.  With tears in our eyes we felt so incredibly lucky to see two babies kicking on the screen in front of us. 

Weekly monitoring continued and the consultants gave us milestones to aim for.  The first was to reach 24 weeks gestation, to give the babies the best fighting chance of survival.  At 24 weeks, we were told that the smaller twin was not at a viable weight, that she had to be 500g.  At 300g, she had a long fight ahead of her but every week, she made us so proud and showed us a strong heartbeat and gradually, she got slightly bigger.  At 28 weeks she reached 500g and our final milestone was for them to hang on till 30 weeks if they could, to mature as much as possible in the womb.  Daily scans and heartbeat monitoring for a fortnight was extremely nerve wracking and on 5th December, they were officially 30 weeks and the consultants found a discrepancy in the blood flow in the smaller twin which was the sign they needed to be delivered. 

That evening, a caesarean section was performed and our baby girls Isla Sophia and Sienna Nicole were born at 1lb6oz and 2lb14oz respectively.  They were placed in plastic bags to keep them warm and put in an incubator.  They both required immediate intensive care treatment but due to a lack of available cot space at the RVI, they had to be transferred to North Tees Hospital in Stockton within hours of their birth, this was where we first came into contact with Neoangels.   

At North Tees Hospital they were cared for by an absolutely incredible and committed team of doctors and nurses. The girls were treated in intensive care for a range of medical issues which the staff were very quick to identify and treat.  Between them, they had a number of blood transfusions, various infections including a serious stomach infection known as NEC, operations, vital scans which indicated Sienna had a grade 4 brain haemorrhage, UV treatment for jaundice, daily blood tests and needles and a range of ventilatory support.  However the longer we spent in hospital, it sadly became clear at just how much the staff were having to battle against budget cuts affecting the NHS and this is where the support provided by charities such as Neoangels can now make such a huge difference. Neoangels are not only helping to fund new specialist lifesaving equipment but they also help provide invaluable support to the families of babies in special care.  The emotional rollercoaster families are on when their babies are fighting for their lives is indescribable and the staff offer so much more than just medical care to the babies. 

The team at North Tees felt like a family and they made us part of their family from the very first day our babies arrived on the ward.  Without their commitment to the babies they care for and their extensive knowledge of a range of medical issues, we believe our baby girls wouldn't be here today.  During our time at North Tees we saw first-hand the impact their support makes to both the staff and the families on the ward.  So please help us give something back and help make sure Neoangels can continue supporting everyone involved in the care of sick and poorly babies on Ward 23.

Thank you!!

Love Michael, Sophie, Isla and Sienna x

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