A couple who tragically lost identical twin sons after they developed a rare condition in the womb have bravely completed a charity running challenge this week to raise money to help prevent others suffering in the same way.
Craig and Melanie Fyfe, from Stevenage, were devastated after they lost their twin boys one after the other in February this year after doctors discovered they had twin to twin transfusion syndrome.
The condition means one twin gets too much blood from the placenta and the other doesn’t get enough.
On the day of the boys’ funeral in March, Craig bravely vowed to undertake a tough running challenge to help support research into the condition.
The couple – who married in October 2016 – already had one son, William, who is now three.
They had a “honeymoon pregnancy” and were delighted when they found out they were expecting twins.
Melanie, 35, who lives with Craig and William in Oaks Cross, said: “It was about 13 weeks when I had the scan. I’d been having extreme tiredness which I didn’t have with William, but it was still a major shock – but a happy shock – when they said there were two.”
But after a second scan, things began to go wrong.
Melanie said: “We had another scan at Lister Hospital in Stevenage and that’s when they said they had TTTS.
“My best friend Jodie had it and lost one of her twins, so I knew what it was and how bad it can be. I knew it was a serious problem.”
Melanie underwent a procedure to ease the problem which doctors said was successful.
But the following week the situation worsened and Mel suffered from night sweats and a high temperature and was later diagnosed with an infection.
Craig received a call at work on February 21 to say he had to come to the hospital straight away.
“When I got there they said one of the twins had just passed away,” he said. “I just went completely numb. I couldn’t believe it.
Sadly, more bad news was to come when their second baby died.
Melanie said: “When we lost the first baby, it was just awful. When we lost the second one, it was devastating.”
The Fyfe family and friends have since raised more than £2,000 for the Twins & Multiple Births Association, a charity which funds research and support for TTTS.
The cash will go to the TTTS Registry, which collects data on TTTS babies throughout the UK so doctors can use the information to improve treatments.
On bank Holiday Monday, Craig, Melanie and a group of close relatives and friends took part in the Vitality London 10,000 – a 10K challenge in London, to raise more cash.
You can still donate by visiting the family’s fundraising page at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/FyfeTwins.
Find out more at www.tamba.org.uk/ttts
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here