Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has shared a devastating health update concerning her twin daughters, revealing they have been diagnosed with a severe and incurable muscle-wasting disease.
A Heartbreaking Diagnosis for the Young Family
Jesy Nelson and her fiancé, Zion Foster, welcomed their twin girls, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster, in May 2025 following a high-risk pregnancy. Although the babies were born prematurely, they were initially described as healthy and strong. Now, as the twins approach eight months old, their mother has disclosed they have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the most severe form of the rare genetic condition.
In an emotional video posted to social media, Nelson explained the diagnosis came after three to four months of gruelling medical appointments. "It is the most severe muscular disease that a baby can get," she stated. The condition affects every muscle in the body, including those used for breathing, swallowing, and movement.
The Critical Importance of Early Detection
Nelson emphasised that while there is no cure for SMA, treatment exists that can halt the progression of the disease. The therapy works by replacing the missing gene in the body, preventing further muscle deterioration. However, muscles already lost cannot be regained.
"If it's not treated in time, your baby's life expectancy will not make it past the age of two," she revealed. The singer expressed profound frustration that early detection via a simple heel prick test at birth, which is not standard in the UK but is in many other countries, could have dramatically altered her daughters' prognosis.
She explained that because her twins were diagnosed later, they will likely never walk and have lost neck muscle control permanently, despite receiving swift treatment after doctors suspected SMA.
Symptoms Every Parent Should Know
In a bid to help other families, Jesy detailed the key signs of SMA Type 1 that parents should watch for:
- General 'floppiness' and an inability to hold themselves up without support.
- Legs falling into a frog-like position with little movement.
- A bell-shaped abdomen.
- Rapid breathing visible in the tummy.
She admitted she had initially dismissed some symptoms, attributing them to the girls' prematurity after being advised in the NICU not to compare their milestones to full-term babies. Issues with feeding were also initially dismissed as normal by GPs.
Nelson concluded her message with a powerful plea: "If anyone is watching this... please, please take your child to the doctor, to the hospital because time is of the essence." She described the last few months as the most heartbreaking of her life, grieving for the future she had imagined for her children.
