Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has shared heartbreaking health news concerning her eight-month-old twin daughters in an emotional social media post.
An Emotional Revelation
In a tearful video posted to her Instagram on Sunday, the pop star revealed that her babies, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, have been diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Nelson described the past three to four months as "the most gruelling" of her life.
The singer, who welcomed her twins with partner Zion on 15 May 2025, explained that the genetic neuromuscular disease causes progressive muscle weakness and wasting. "It affects every muscle in the body down to legs, arms, breathing, swallowing," she said. "And essentially over time it kills the muscles in the body."
She delivered a stark warning about the urgency of treatment, stating: "If it's not treated in time your baby's life expectancy will not make it past the age of two."
A Challenging Journey to Motherhood
The diagnosis follows a difficult pregnancy and start to life for the twins. Nelson spent much of her pregnancy in hospital before the girls were delivered prematurely. After their birth, they required care in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
The family is now facing the immense challenge of managing this serious condition, which requires immediate and ongoing medical intervention.
Understanding Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a genetic disease that weakens a patient's strength by attacking the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord. This leads to the gradual wasting of muscles, with symptom severity varying by type.
The main types of SMA include:
- Type 1: The most severe form, often evident at birth. Sufferers cannot sit unaided and, historically, life expectancy was often not beyond five years without treatment.
- Type 2: An intermediate form where the individual is unable to stand.
- Type 3: A milder variant that makes rising from a sitting position difficult.
- Type 4: Where symptoms typically do not appear until adulthood, in a patient's 20s or 30s.
While Nelson did not specify which type her daughters have, her reference to the critical two-year window highlights the severity of their diagnosis. The family's focus is now on accessing the vital treatments and therapies needed to fight this condition.
