Twins born 13 weeks premature celebrate 15th Birthday reunited with nurses who saved their lives

Fifteen years ago, Jane and her husband John were expecting twin boys. Their pregnancy journey however didn't go as planned and the boys were delivered at just 27 weeks gestation and were rushed to Mater Mothers’ Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU).

Fortunately today, Carlos and Richard are strong, happy and healthy and have celebrated their fifteenth birthday in the most extraordinary way.

The boys along with their family have walked 106km to represent the 106 days they spent in critical care. Over the last four days they have travelled from their home on the Gold Coast to Mater Mothers’ Hospital in South Brisbane. All while raising funds for new equipment For Mater Mothers' NCCU.

They arrived at Mater Mothers’ on their fifteenth birthday representing a huge and emotional milestone where they were reunited with the nurses who cared for them all those years ago.

Jane explains she was diagnosed with Twin-to-Twin transfusion syndrome at 27 weeks pregnant, which occurs in five per cent of identical twin pregnancies where the twins share the same placenta, but the blood does not flow evenly, and one baby can become larger than the other.

“I was sent to Mater Mothers’ where I was informed due to the position of the placenta, surgery was not possible and shortly after on Thursday 1 June 2006, I had to undergo an emergency caesarean as Carlos was in distress,” Jane said.

“At 6.03 pm Richard was born weighing 1032grams and Carlos 774grams, as soon as they were born, they were whisked away to the intensive care unit in the NCCU and I did not get to see them until I came out of recovery.”

Jane recalls when she finally got to see the boys, she was so shocked to see how small they were, and both required ventilation helping them to breathe.

“Richard was bright red from too much blood and Carlos very pale from not enough. Richard was strong and did remarkably well and by day 14 he was transferred over to the special care unit where he spent 63 days where he grew stronger each day. By day 77 he was able to be discharged,” Jane said.

“However, Carlos had a much harder time on the unit, and I believe his survival is nothing short of a miracle. He had swelling in the abdomen from a perforated bowel requiring immediate surgery. Nearly a month later his stomach began swelling again requiring another surgery for a bowel obstruction.

 “There was period of time where we thought Carlos might not make it, but we never gave up hope.”  

Jane said Carlos had numerous infections and the family lost count of the number of blood and platelet transfusions he received and had a total of four surgeries in his first year of life.

“Carlos spent his 100th day of life in the hospital and the beautiful nurses bought us a cake. On day 106 Carlos was discharged from Mater Mothers' and transferred to Pindara Hospital on the Gold Coast before finally coming home,” Jane said.

“Mater Mothers' helped us through our ordeal both clinically and emotionally and we will be forever grateful for our beautiful boys.”  

You can support Jane and her family by donating through: https://fundraise.mater.org.au/fundraisers/janecelis