Aberdeen mother dreams of seeing her daughters walk as family raises money for therapy abroad

An Aberdeen mother hopes to one day see her twin daughters walk as the family tries to raise thousands of pounds for therapy abroad.

Nicole Clark of Northfield gave birth to Elsa and Ella Allan on April 5, 2020. The couple were born prematurely at 31 weeks and were placed in incubators in the neonatal intensive care unit.

During their stay in the ward, the babies underwent several routine examinations. At four weeks of age, the medical teams discovered that the twins had holes in their brains.

Doctors diagnosed the couple with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), a condition common in premature babies in which small areas of brain tissue around fluid-filled areas called ventricles die.

The condition increases the likelihood that the child will develop cerebral palsy, which Elsa and Ella have also been diagnosed with.

Nicole told STV News: “Throughout my pregnancy everything seemed fine.

“I gave birth to my baby at about 31 weeks and both were taken to the neonatal unit and placed in incubators.

“They had a brain scan, which I was told is routine for premature babies. When they were four weeks old, we were told they had holes in their brains.

“They were diagnosed with PVL, which developed into cerebral palsy. It was clear that at some point they had suffered from oxygen deprivation.”

The four-year-old twins still have difficulty walking and have trouble completing tasks that are second nature to many of their peers.

The family has spent thousands of pounds paying for therapy sessions across the country to ensure the girls get everything they need for a better life.

In July they took part in Swim Lab International in Lanzarote, paying £4,000 for the therapy alone.

The goal of the organization, which is based in the Canary Islands and across the pond in Florida, is to develop a customized program to ensure that every child receives the help they need.

Nicole was overwhelmed by the progress Ella and Elsa made during their first visit.

She explained: “In Lanzarote they had three sessions a day, two in the water and one on land.

“The staff were amazing and took the time to support Elsa and Ella. They were very different children. It was incredible to see them do things I never thought they were capable of.

“Sometimes it was really overwhelming.”

Nicole Clark

The mother, from Aberdeen, has launched a fundraiser to raise enough money to bring both Ella and Elsa back to the Swim Lab for another potentially life-changing treatment.

The family's dream, however, would be to one day see the four-year-olds take their first steps with the help of a machine developed by Trexo Robotics in Canada that gives children the feeling of walking.

Despite the difficulties Elsa and Ella face in everyday life, the radiant sisters have faced every challenge with determination.

A proud Nicole said: “They are the naughtiest little monkeys but also the happiest girls in the world.

“Elsa is always smiling and Elsa has a very infectious smile. Our ultimate goal is to see her walk, with or without a walker.

“It would be great to see her on her feet and with the other children. Recently I was amazed because Ella poured a little milk into a cup.

“Some parents take these little things for granted, but for us, these moments mean something very special.”

To visit the GoFundMe page, click here

Follow STV News on WhatsApp

Scan the QR code on your mobile device to get all the latest news from across the country