Saving Young Lungs - Sylvie, Alice, and Alexandre's story
For Sylvie and her family, the arrival of their twins came far earlier than expected. Born at just 27 weeks, Alice and Alexandre faced an immediate fight for survival, marking the beginning of an intense and uncertain journey.
The first few days were extremely difficult. I was bed bound in High Dependency for the first few days after the birth of our twins. They had to be delivered by emergency caesarean at 27 weeks and were fighting for their lives.
The first few weeks were then incredibly overwhelming. Everything felt so uncertain. We were living day by day. Seeing such tiny babies (our daughter, Alice, weighed 495g and our son, Alexandre, 975g at birth) surrounded by machines and attached to so many tubes for life-saving support, was something we never could have prepared for. There was a constant mix of fear, hope, and exhaustion.
There were so many setbacks, machines beeping, our twins going back and forth from intensive care to high dependency, and then back again in intensive care with an infection. It was impossible to know whether or when they would be able to breathe independently.
So much of the care our babies received exists because of years of research. Knowing that gives us a lot of hope. Continued research could mean fewer complications and better long-term outcomes for babies born so early.
Caring for sick babies can feel horrendously lonely and isolating. Radiation-free imaging is transforming neonatal care, and it is comforting to think that what families go through today could be made easier for others in the future.
Every contribution really does make a difference. Supporting the Big Walk means helping to fund the kind of research and care that gives babies like ours a fighting chance. It’s not just about equipment or treatments, it’s about giving families hope during some of the hardest moments of their lives. If you’re able to give, you’re directly helping to change outcomes for the most vulnerable babies.
When you’ve been through such an isolating and frightening experience, seeing a whole community come together in support is incredibly powerful. It reminds us that we’re not alone and that people genuinely care. Being part of that collective effort turns a very personal journey into something that can help others.
Sylvie
Mum to Alice and Alexandre
Researchers at the Insigneo Institute at the University of Sheffield, have discovered a way to see inside children’s lungs like never before. By inhaling a safe gas, called xenon, and using existing MRI scanners, doctors can now see how lung disease is affecting a child in real-time and provide clear answers to terrified parents.
We’re fundraising for a new Research Fellow to test how this MRI technology can be used to help children with a range of lung conditions, and get it into the hands of doctors throughout the UK.
For the parents of children who are fighting for every breath, the unknown extent of the problem is their biggest cause of fear. This life altering technology is vital to ensure that no parent is left in the dark.