Little Mix’s Jesy Nelson says twin daughters will “probably never walk” due to rare muscular condition
The singer's daughters have received a diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
By Nick Reilly
Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has said that her twin baby daughters will “probably never walk” due to a rare muscular condition.
The singer gave birth to the girls – Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster – in May, with the babies arriving prematurely at just 31 weeks. She said at the time that she and her partner, rapper Zion Foster, were “so blessed” by their arrival.
In a new video shared to her Instagram page yesterday (January 4), Nelson revealed that her daughters have received a diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which she described as “the most severe muscular disease”.
Nelson opened up on “the most gruelling three, four months and endless appointments”, before explaining that she had been told that her daughters are suffering from “SMA type 1”.
“It does affect every muscle in the body, down to legs, arms, breathing, swallowing,” said Nelson, explaining that both daughters struggled to feed or move their legs.
“Essentially, what it does is, over time, it kills the muscles to the body, and if it’s not treated in time, your baby’s life expectancy will not make it past the age of two,” she said.
The singer went on to explain that doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital told her that the girls were “probably never going to be able to walk. They probably will never regain their neck strength, so they will be disabled.”
As well as outlining the treatment both girls have received, Nelson explained she wished to share the diagnosis to help others facing a similar situation. She also stated her belief that her daughters would “defy all the odds” and “fight this”.
According to the charity SMA UK, an estimated 47 babies were born with the condition in the UK in 2024, though it’s thought that roughly one in 40 people carry the gene that causes the disease. You can find out more about the condition here.