Jesy Nelson has spoken candidly about her breakup with Zion Foster, revealing that the diagnosis of their twin daughters with a rare condition tore the couple apart. The former Little Mix star and mother of two opened up about the emotional toll of caring for Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster, who were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, a condition that causes muscle wasting.
Campaign for Newborn Screening
Jesy has completed filming for her Prime Video series, which initially focused on her career and motherhood. However, an additional episode is now dedicated to her campaign for newborns to be tested for SMA at birth. She is urging that UK babies be screened via a heel prick test, which currently checks for 10 other conditions but not SMA. The Mirror has joined her campaign, which will be boosted by the Prime Video program airing later this year, following the twins' journey and Jesy's advocacy.
In January, Jesy appeared on This Morning and vowed to “shout from the rooftops” for change. The documentary shows her on the show, the Mirror front page supporting her petition to reach 100,000 signatures, and her meeting with then-Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
The Diagnosis and Its Impact
The film also captures the heartbreaking moment Jesy learned of her twins' diagnosis. She says: “I know I sound really negative now but it is hard to accept that this is going to be their life now. It just feels like it is getting worse and worse. It is so hard. I really thought my heartache was over. I can’t believe this is happening. I feel so heartbroken.”
Her former partner Zion adds: “I am not equipped to deal with this, I am out of my depth, emotionally physically and mentally. At the moment I am just surviving.”
The Split
Jesy discusses in depth for the first time their decision to split. Giving the impression she initiated the breakup, she says: “It is a very traumatic thing we have both been through. I think it's quite inevitable for things like this to happen as a couple. Like, I don't think it's like a shock that we've broken up, because you'll either be a team or it can tear you apart, and unfortunately, I feel like that's what it's done to Zi and I.
“But you know, we still get on. There's no, there's no bad feeling. My main priority is them, so like, I just want to be the best mum for them. I want to have the best energy, and I want to be positive, and the house was not like that when we were together. Obviously, because we were both dealing with this situation completely differently, and together we were just clashing. So I decided we would be better off apart.
“It's hard, it's really hard, you know, just me and Mum now, and I feel bad because I feel like mum's at an age now where she should just be enjoying her life, and now she's like a mum again.”
Treatment and Milestones
The twins are shown using special chairs and receiving treatment to help them one day walk. However, they still cannot be bottle-fed and sometimes require a tube. Reflecting at the end of the documentary, Jesy says: “In the beginning I felt like I was going to feel that sadness and that heartache for the rest of my life. But the pain does get less. When something like this happens in your life it puts everything into perspective, there's a reason that this is, you know, happening.
“There is this whole community that have been fighting for years to be seen and heard, so that no other family has to go through this ever again. That's the reason. The girls' diagnosis has become my normal now. They are the reason that I now feel that I have purpose, and they give me strength every day.
“There was a point when they might not be here so the fact they are here for their first birthday is just amazing. It is such a big milestone for me and them. They give me a reason to not be sad. Because I am like how can I be sad when you're going through all of this and they're still smiling?”
The film ends on a happy note, showing the twins celebrating their first birthday and Story saying “mama” for the first time.
Documentary Release
Jesy Nelson: Life Changing will be available on Prime from July 17.
