Tragic twin Lola is a guardian angel

FEISTY spirit . . . Madison with mum Kelly Gibson

LOLA Wood was only seven days old when she lost her fight against a heart condition. Mum Kelly Gibson and dad, Colin Wood, thought history was repeating itself when Lola’s twin sister Madison showed the same symptoms three days later. A desperate fight to save Madison followed - but her fighting spirit and the previous tragedy pulled her through. Doctors were able to use Lola’s death to give Madison the correct treatment. Now, 15 months later and with Madison on the mend, the family is backing a British Heart Foundation awareness and fund-raising campaign. DAWN MARSDEN reports.

MUM Kelly didn’t worry too much when Lola went off her food as doctors said she was probably just jaundiced.

But as the seven-day-old slept next to her twin Madison, Kelly (27) knew there was something wrong with her.

Lola was rushed to hospital but sadly died soon after when she suddenly stopped breathing as doctors tried to insert a feeding tube.

Kelly and Colin (29), who are also parents to six-year-old Izzy, were assured that Madison was fine and they took her home.

Three days later, the couple, of Welbeck Avenue, Chadderton, feared they would lose their second twin daughter when Madison began to display the same symptoms as Lola.

Kelly said: “We recognised the signs and were able to act faster with Madison but all we could think about was the possibility that we could lose our two seemingly healthy babies in the space of a week.”

Madison was transferred from Booth Hall Hospital to Pendlebury Children's Hospital for vital scans which showed she had a severely dilated heart.

Kelly said: “Her heart wasn’t beating properly and it was functioning at just eight per cent - doctors said it was a miracle that she was surviving.”

Madison continued to fight for survival and was transferred to a specialist cardiac hospital in Leicester where she was placed on a machine which supported her heart for the next two weeks.

The results of a post mortem examination carried out on Lola were sent to Leicester and doctors there were able to use the findings to identify the exact cause of Madison’s problems and treat them accordingly.

Kelly said: “We see Lola as Madison’s guardian angel. I think Madison knows about Lola because she always sleeps on the side that she slept when Lola was alive and she holds a teddy bear where Lola used to lie.

“We will definitely tell Madison all about Lola when she is older as without Lola we might have lost Madison as well. It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

When Madison first left hospital she had to go for check ups every fortnight. These have been reduced to every three months and she is progressing well.

Kelly and Colin set up the Lola Fundraising Group to raise funds for the British Heart Foundation.

They have organised lots of events and are preparing for a sponsored abseil later this year.

Kelly’s mum, Susan Gibson, works at L’Oreal and the company has chosen BHF as its charity for this year.

The BHF launched the Children’s Heart Appeal in Manchester this month to raise £113,000 for a lifesaving 3D echocardiograph machine.

Kelly said: “My family and friends have been fantastic. I would like to say a massive thank-you for all their support and help with our mission to raise funds for the BHF.”

As part of National Heart Month, which runs throughout February, BHF conducted a survey in the North-West to find out how much people know about heart disease.

It revealed that 68 per cent of adults don’t get enough exercise while 96 per cent admit to having at least one health sin such as smoking, binge drinking or eating fatty foods.

The charity is urging everyone to visit www.bhf.org.uk/beat and complete the online quiz to see how healthy their hearts are.

The quiz helps people to assess their lifestyle and make changes that help to improve their heart health.

Participants get personalised recommendations based on physical activity, alcohol, diet and weight.

Kelly, who admits she is extra protective of Madison following her shaky start in life, said: “I am now much more aware of the signs and symptoms of heart disease.

“I feel cheated in a way because if I had known then what I know now, maybe I could have acted faster and saved Lola even though the doctors said there was nothing we could have done.

“It is so important to raise funds to support research in the hope of saving children affected by heart problems in the future.

“I think new mums should also be given a leaflet explaining the signs to look out for, not to scare them, but so they are aware of everything and to prepare them so they can act fast if needs be.

“Nurses say Madison’s feisty spirit and stubbornness pulled her though but other babies and their families might not be so lucky.”