Charlie and Oliver's Story

At their 16-week scan, while still in shock from learning they were expecting twins, Tiahna and Juan discovered their precious twins had Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS). 

Their world stopped. What would this mean for their boys?

TTTS is a rare condition that affects approximately 10 per cent of identical twins that share a single placenta. It is caused by an imbalance of blood flow from the donor twin to the recipient twin and, left untreated, can cause serious health conditions including infant loss. 

The next 10 weeks proved an anxious whirlwind of scans and appointments.

Planned in-utero surgery to correct TTTS was not possible for their unborn boys. Just shy of 26 weeks’ gestation, Tiahna went into early labour, and Oliver and Charlie were born via emergency caesarean section, weighing just 675g and 820g respectively. 

“We had to wait a long time for our first cuddle, but when it came, it was incredible. The boys were so tiny. It was quite different to normal cuddles as they were on CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). There was a lot of cords and cables attached as well. It was the most incredible moment to hold them both.”  

More than two months after this magical cuddle, Oliver and Charlie are still receiving round-the-clock care at Mater’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit (NCCU)*, including vital ventilation and surgical interventions, but they are growing stronger by the day.

Every Mater Prize Home ticket you purchase helps to give our tiniest patients, like Oliver and Charlie, the best possible start to life.

“For those who have already bought a Mater Prize Home ticket, I would say a very big thank you because what you've done has already helped to save our boys lives,” Tiahna said.

“The purchase of a ticket goes a long way to helping families like ours.”

*Correct at time of writing, March 2023.

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