Jesy Nelson has described her twin daughters as the "bravest girls" ahead of their operation to have feeding tubes removed for the first time on Friday.
The former Little Mix star's 14-month-old daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare condition causing muscle weakness that can be fatal if left undiagnosed.
They have received specialist care since, though it is unknown if they will ever walk due to irreversible nerve damage.
Seeing their dimples again
Today, the 35-year-old will finally see her daughters' dimples when the plasters holding the feeding tubes in place are removed from their faces.
In an Instagram video, Jesy told her 9.5 million followers: "Today is the big day. We're taking these plasters off aren't we? No more tuby for you in your face. They're going down soon. The bravest girls in all of the world."
She added: "Today is the last day of my baby girls having their tubes on their faces. As terrified as I am about them having their operation, I cannot wait to finally see their faces again and see their little dimples that are always hidden under these plasters."
A mother's relief
Jesy expressed her longing for simple cuddles, saying: "I've honestly forgotten what it feels like to cuddle them and not worry about pulling their tube out of their nose or plasters off their face. It really is the littlest things we take for granted as parents."
The twins have Type 1 SMA, which begins in babies under six months old, according to the NHS. The condition can cause muscle weakness, difficulty sitting up, crawling or walking, breathing or swallowing problems, and bone and joint issues.
Previous heartbreaking news
In January, Jesy revealed the twins, born prematurely at 31 weeks, would be disabled due to the most severe form of the disease, which kills muscles over time.
Fighting back tears, she said: "I am grieving a life I thought I was going to have with my children." She described acting as a nurse, "putting them on breathing machines and doing stuff that no mother should have to do with their child."
Jesy added: "They will be disabled. The best thing we can do right now is get them treatment and just hope for the best."
Campaign for screening
Since the diagnosis, Jesy, who shares the twins with former partner Zion Foster, has campaigned for SMA to be added to the newborn blood spot screening test, as early treatment can prevent some devastating effects.
In July, the Department of Health announced that a national newborn screening programme for SMA will roll out across England from the end of this year, following the campaign by Jesy and the Mirror. Hundreds of thousands of babies will be screened via a simple heel-prick blood test shortly after birth.
