By Eleanor Wilson
When Nicky Carroll went on maternity leave at 26 weeks pregnant in August, she thought she would have a few months to prepare before she welcomed her newborn twins.
Instead, just two days into her leave, twins Riley and Jye were born prematurely at Monash Children’s Hospital, each weighing less than one kilogram.
The next 111 days were spent in the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital, with staff concerned about the health of both babies.
“The first couple of weeks it was really touch and go, Riley was good, but Jye wasn’t too impressed with being out in the outside world so early,” Ms Carroll said.
Born at just over 900 grams, Jye was signed up to a leading program that uses stem cells from the placenta and cord blood to protect, repair and regenerate vital body tissue.
Thanks to the ground-breaking program, his condition quickly improved, but the health of his twin sister Riley, who wasn’t eligible for the stem cell program due to a lack of sufficient cord blood, began to decline.
“About two weeks after they were born Riley was very unwell, she had NEC which is necrotizing enterocolitis, meaning parts of her bowel basically dies,” Nicky said.
NEC affects roughly one in 1000 premature babies and in Riley’s case, caused her to need a third of her bowel removed.
Now five months, Ms Carroll said the twins are getting healthier and stronger by the day.
“[Jye] has done amazing, he’s hitting all his developmental milestone and isn’t facing any delays,” she beamed.
“Riley has improved a lot too, she’s had three surgeries so she’s still playing catch up a bit, but she’s definitely getting there.”
The stem cell program at Monash Children’s Hospital is one of several programs nationwide being supported by a Coles supermarket fundraising initiative to improve the survival rate and quality of life for premature babies.
From Wednesday 30 March until Tuesday 12 April, Coles’ shoppers can buy a $2 donation card at the checkout to support Curing Homesickness, with all funds raised going directly to fund vital projects across the country.
Shoppers can also support the cause by purchasing a jar of Mum’s Sause pasta or pizza sauce throughout the year, with 50 cents of every jar sold going to a children’s hospital foundation or paediatric service.
Ms Carroll said the support from Coles makes a world of difference for families with premature babies.
“I don’t think anyone who has a baby thinks they are going to spend time in NICU, and the stem cell program isn’t something everyday families like ours can usually afford,” she said.
“So the Coles fundraiser is such a great support for families with premature babies.”
Curing Homesickness Director Nicola Stokes said funds raised will provide much needed support for sick kids and their families across Australia.
“We believe kids don’t belong in hospital; they belong at home. By purchasing a $2 Curing Homesickness card or a Mum’s Sause pasta or pizza sauce, you’ll be helping to fund vital projects to minimise the amount of time kids spend in hospitals.”
