Jesy Nelson's Twins Hospitalised as She Shares Major Health Update
Former Little Mix star Jesy Nelson has provided a significant health update on her twin daughters, who are currently receiving treatment at a hospital following their diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). The nine-month-old twins, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, are being cared for at the renowned Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Heartbreaking Diagnosis and Treatment
Jesy Nelson shared poignant photos of her daughters wearing splints on their legs, wrapped in blankets as they lay together on a hospital bed. She captioned the images with "Their little splints," highlighting the emotional toll of their condition. In a video posted online, one twin was seen stealing the other's dummy, prompting a laugh from their mother, who described the hospital visits as an "educational experience." She expressed sadness, stating, "So today, I had to go pick up the girls' splints because their feet are pointing, and they need to be flattened out. It made me really sad."
Campaigning for Awareness and Change
At the beginning of 2025, Jesy announced that her daughters were diagnosed with SMA, a rare genetic condition that progressively weakens muscles. The twins have Type 1 SMA, the most severe form, which, if untreated, has a life expectancy of less than two years. Jesy has been open about their journey to raise awareness, emphasising the need for early detection. She has campaigned vigorously for SMA1 to be included in NHS newborn screenings, with her petition surpassing 100,000 signatures, ensuring it will be debated in the House of Commons.
Following this breakthrough, Jesy expressed immense gratitude, saying, "I cannot actually put into words how grateful I am that this moment has just happened right here! And it is all thanks to you guys. Thank you to every single person that took time out of their day to sign this petition. You have no idea how much this means to me and the SMA community. This is the first hurdle but we bloody did it and I truly believe that together we are going to make change!"
Bittersweet Progress and Ongoing Fight
Scotland has since incorporated SMA1 into its newborn tests, a development Jesy described as "bittersweet." She posted, "Today my heart feels super heavy. It's a very bitter sweet moment today knowing Scotland has become the first UK nation to screen babies for SMA. We're so close, yet so far. I will never be able to understand why we are still not testing for it in England. To know that my girls' lives and so many other children in England could look so different if this had of been here for them." She vowed to continue fighting, adding, "But never the less I will keep fighting and pushing for change because nobody should ever have to go through this headache."
In a Q&A for her Prime Video docuseries about pregnancy and motherhood, Jesy reflected on their decision to continue filming after the diagnosis, saying, "When the girls got their diagnosis, we decided that we wanted to continue filming. As hard as it was, we were like, 'You know what? There's a reason you guys are here, and we've got to make the best out of this situation.'"
