Twin Airdrie toddlers thank staff who saved their lives

TWIN girls took to the track to raise money for the hospital where their lives were saved.

Alice and Emily with mum Margaret (front) and dad Dougie Hall (back left) with staff from the neonatal unit including Dr Duncan Boyd, consultant neonatologist, (back right). Picture: Contributed

Sisters Alice and Emily Hall, 3, visited Wishaw General Hospital to hand over £650 after taking part in the Great Scottish Run.

Mum Margaret, from Airdrie, said: “The girls did so well by running in both the 100m Toddler Dash and One Mile Race in the same day. Their big brother Jack helped them train and during the races he held their hands and encouraged them to reach the finish line.

“I am so proud of the three of them. They put all their energies into completing both races to say a big thank you to all the doctors and nurses at the neonatal unit.”

Alice and Emily had to be delivered six weeks early, at one hour’s notice, after it was discovered they were suffering from twin-to-twin transfusion.

The rare condition affects about 15% of twins when they share a placenta and blood supply.

It means one twin gets too much blood while the other gets too little. This can put a strain on the heart, leading to heart failure, and can also affect each twin’s growth and chances of survival.

Margaret added: “Staff at Wishaw General Hospital spotted the condition during a routine scan and rushed me into theatre.

“They had to act quickly. Getting the babies out just minutes later could result in one of them not making it, any longer and there was a chance neither baby would survive.

“It was a very frightening time but the doctors and nurses were amazing and saved the girls’ lives. We feel so lucky that both of them survived and neither of them have any lasting health conditions.”

The twins spent several weeks in intensive care and a total of 31 days in the neonatal unit.

In their first year, the girls faced frequent hospital appointments to check on their progress. Following numerous tests and scans, both girls were given the all-clear in 2014.

Dr Duncan Boyd, consultant neonatologist who was part of the team who treated the girls, said: “It was wonderful to see Alice and Emily again and to know that they are thriving to such a degree that they completed a charity run on our behalf.

“On behalf of the neonatal unit, I would like to thank the girls, and their family, for their physical efforts and their generosity.”