Twin Miracles and Community Support
Category: Client Story
March 4, 2025
High-Risk Twin Pregnancy
Susan's world tilted on its axis at her 15-week ultrasound. Not one, but two tiny heartbeats confirmed her twin pregnancy. She also had a devastating diagnosis: twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, an often fatal condition. In 1997, fetal surgery was groundbreaking and dangerous. Susan wasn’t sure what the future would hold. The surgery itself was risky, and Hillary, the smaller twin, struggled.
Against the odds, they made it to 31 weeks, when the twins—Hillary and Hope—were delivered by c-section. Both babies spent months in the NICU. For Hillary, who weighed just 1.5 pounds at birth, weight gain was a constant challenge, and sepsis threatened her fragile life.
Developmental Challenges
A month after they finally went home, Hillary had a scary episode. Hillary stopped breathing, setting off her heart monitor alarm. She went four agonizing minutes without oxygen. Days later, Hillary was listless, only her eyes moving. During a routine check-up for one of her older kids, Hillary displayed signs of hypertonia. High muscle tone can be caused by neurological issues, genetic conditions, or birth complication. It is a stiffness in the baby that can result in jerking or immobility. In Hillary’s case, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result of the lack of oxygen.
Finding Community Support
Susan reached out to ECI (Early Childhood Intervention). Within a week, they were receiving therapy and feeding support for Hillary. But the medical bills piled up. Her family was at risk of losing their house due to bankruptcy. They had no additional support. Exhausted and isolated with no family nearby, Susan knew she needed help beyond therapy. She reached out to Any Baby Can.
Connected with Any Baby Can’s CARE program, Susan was provided with invaluable respite. Their support, combined with the connections Any Baby Can had with other organizations like the Foster Grandparents program, created a lifeline for the family. Any Baby Can helped secure childcare, therapy, and even Christmas presents through Adopt-a-Family.
"I was an exhausted mother with no support. Any Baby Can came in and asked what I needed, and they made it possible. Thanks to their time, dedication and programs, we were able to get through some really tough times," says Susan.
Progress and Paying it Forward
Hillary’s progress was remarkable, though it took 15 years to heal her brain and body. Still small, weighing only 12 pounds at one year old, she was finally able to start preschool at two years old and walked at about two and a half years old. Hillary went from being paralyzed from the neck down to entering kindergarten.
By kindergarten, she was in a mainstream classroom with teachers experienced in special education. Her cognitive development, initially delayed, caught up in middle school. She excelled in high school, driven by her own desire to learn. She played competitive soccer throughout high school. Hillary went to college, earning a degree in occupational therapy, a path inspired by her own early intervention.
Hillary now shines through in her work at a pediatric occupational therapy clinic. She connects with the kids—and parents—that she works with, having received similar support her whole life.
Their story is a powerful testament to determination and community. Without the support they received, Hillary and Hope’s lives would likely have been drastically different. When we can show up and ask, “how can we help?” extraordinary potential unfolds.
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