"There is always hope": Ava and Archie's story

In July 2019, first-time mum Alex was only 25 weeks pregnant with twins, when she unexpectantly gave birth prematurely. Ava and Archie arrived weighing just 1lb 9oz and 1lb 12oz respectively, their bodies transparent and covered in wires and tubes, which were keeping them alive. The road ahead would prove to be extremely difficult for Ava and Archie, but with specialist neonatal care, the support of the Ronald McDonald House Manchester, and their loving family by their incubator side, the twins and their parents had a fantastic support network around them, every step of their 126-day NICU journey.

I gave birth to twins three-and-a-half months early, and now, after a difficult start in life, they are living happily and healthily.

I’d been in hospital prior to the twins being born with premature rupture of membranes (PROM). At the time, it didn’t occur to me that it would result in giving birth extremely prematurely. My partner Declan and I were even planning to go on holiday to Turkey shortly after it had happened, but Dec’s mum Nic stepped in and convinced us it was a bad idea to leave the country.

Sure enough, the twins were born 15 weeks early, and we spent four-and-a-half months on the neonatal unit at Royal Bolton Hospital.

After almost two months on the unit, we were beginning to think that the end of our neonatal stay was in sight, but unfortunately, Archie was suspected to have necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), which is a serious disease in which tissues in the intestine become inflamed and start to die. We were quickly transferred to Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester, a surgical level 4 NICU, for emergency surgery. Here, he underwent lifesaving surgery whilst his twin sister remained stable over an hour away.

It was so traumatic sitting down to sign the paperwork consenting to surgery, which was meant to save his life, but which also could have ended it. He was still so small and at just 35 weeks’ gestation, should’ve still be in the womb.

Being far from home and far from his twin, we wanted nothing more than to be by his incubator-side. Luckily, Ronald McDonald House Charities UK provided a room at the nearby Manchester House, which meant I could stay close to Archie, while Dec was with Ava in Bolton.

The Ronald McDonald House Manchester was a true ‘home away from home’. Our room provided a safe and comforting space where I could rest, but still be just a stone’s throw from Archie, should anything happen. It’s fair to say that up until that point, Dec and I had been spending what some would deem an unhealthy amount of time sitting next to our babies’ incubators. Having the House allowed me to take time out to have a hot shower and get some food, away from the stressful and clinical environment of the NICU.

Dec and I had gone nearly two weeks without seeing each other when, one evening, Nic went to sit with Ava in Bolton so he could come and spend some time with me at the Ronald McDonald House. We had a takeaway and just sat and talked as new parents going through the unimaginable together. It’s moments like that that the House allowed us to have.

Fortunately, Archie’s stay at Saint Mary’s was relatively short. The operation was a success, and his bowels were not perforated, as it had been suspected they might be. We returned to Bolton NICU once Archie had sufficiently recovered and this is where, in November 2019, we finished our neonatal journey.

That same month, we founded ‘The World Prematurity Day Charity Ball’. Driven by my mother-in-law Nic, the ball was our way of giving back to the incredible neonatal specialists and charitable organisations who supported us through the most difficult time of our lives. Our first ball raised just over £5,000 to update the parent accommodation at Bolton NICU. We wanted to do it again the following year, but the Covid-19 pandemic had other plans, so we had to wait until 2021, when we more than doubled our fundraising total, raising over £11,000, which we split between the NICU and Ronald McDonald House Charities UK. In 2022, we added Bliss as one of our beneficiary charities and raised nearly £20,000, which was split three ways. Last year, we supported SANDS, Ronald McDonald House Charities UK and the NICU, and brought in a total of £22,525. This year, we’re supporting the same three charities again, plus The Royal Oldham NHS Care Organisation. The Oldham NICU provides specialized care for 37 premature and sick babies.

The ball is an amazing opportunity not only to raise vital funds, but also to promote a very dear cause and to give back to those who helped us on our journey. This year, we’ve got 45 NICU nurses attending, which will be so special.  We also have lots of other NICU parents who come along to the ball as guests, and it’s so lovely to be able to share some of their stories of hope in the event brochure. Ava and Archie are now happy and healthy five-year-olds, enjoying year 1 at school and hitting all their milestones. By sharing my own story, I hope other parents will find comfort in knowing they’re not alone and despite the highs and lows you experience on your journey, there is always hope.