About Us

They were so small, they could each fit into Dad’s hand.

Jackson & Keira are true survivors. At birth they were given less than 70% chance of living. And if they lived, there was a 20% chance of a major physical or mental disability.

During their first 12 weeks, they were either diagnosed or closely monitoring development of challenges associated with very young premmies; chronic lung disease, hyaline membrane disease, jaundice, anaemia, reflux, hyperglycaemia, hypaglycaemia, retinopathy of prematurity (eye sight), further weight loss at birth, non-closure of heart duct, brain haemorrhaging, hearing and lots more. Each of the above was a battle one after the other at different weeks of their lives. The miracle is that both of our babies fought and won virtually all of these battles.

They came home for the first time on Monday 22 March 2010 after spending their first 102 days of life (nearly 1/3 of a year) in the amazing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Brisbane Mater Mothers’ Hospital as well 3 weeks at John Flynn Hospital Gold Coast.

We are so very proud of our babies. They have come a very long way. We would like to thank family, friends, staff and customers for their amazing support for what was an incredibly difficult time for Mum & Dad.

A very big thank you goes to the amazing group of doctors and nurses at NICU, a wonderful and dedicated group of people. Thank you for your support, time and amazing care of our children. A big thank you to the wonderful nurse who in the wee hours of Xmas morning placed near their cribs 2 Xmas cards; one from Jackson & one from Keira addressed to Mum & Dad. In them were real ink prints of their tiny feet. That will be a Xmas morning we will never forget for the rest of our lives.

Also thanks to Gaylene and crew at John Flynn Hospital. It was a short but memorable 3 weeks.

However, a special and greatest mention goes to one amazing person. Dr Luke Jardine, Neonatologist at NICU. Luke, thank you for saving their lives. You are an all-round exceptional human being & we are very grateful to have met you.

The first 3 months was daily crying as a mother, striving to produce breast milk for the increased chance of survival, so constantly attached to a pump feeling like a cow, literally crying over spilt milk and then the amazing joy of breastfeeding for the first time after 2 months from birth. Having to wait a month before we could hold our babies in our arms for the first time was so hard.

Overall the first 5 years for premmies and twins is a story of many sleepless nights, alot of crying as a mother, tough on your relationship and monthly hospital visits. Whenever they got a cold breathing support was required because their lungs weren’t strong enough to breath on their own through sickness, many ENT visits and multiple surgeries for poor Jackson with cysts on his throat and severe croup.

Our twins are now thriving and in full health to manage school, chess, drama, competitive gymnastics and horse riding.

I hope you enjoy the photos below which show a glimpse of our world in their early days December 2009 – March 2010.

All our love,
Mark & Deb, Jackson & Keira

They were so small, they could each fit into Dad’s hand.

Jackson & Keira are true survivors. At birth they were given less than 70% chance of living. And if they lived, there was a 20% chance of a major physical or mental disability.

During their first 12 weeks, they were either diagnosed or closely monitoring development of challenges associated with very young premmies; chronic lung disease, hyaline membrane disease, jaundice, anaemia, reflux, hyperglycaemia, hypaglycaemia, retinopathy of prematurity (eye sight), further weight loss at birth, non-closure of heart duct, brain haemorrhaging, hearing and lots more. Each of the above was a battle one after the other at different weeks of their lives. The miracle is that both of our babies fought and won virtually all of these battles.

They came home for the first time on Monday 22 March 2010 after spending their first 102 days of life (nearly 1/3 of a year) in the amazing Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Brisbane Mater Mothers’ Hospital as well 3 weeks at John Flynn Hospital Gold Coast.

We are so very proud of our babies. They have come a very long way. We would like to thank family, friends, staff and customers for their amazing support for what was an incredibly difficult time for Mum & Dad.

A very big thank you goes to the amazing group of doctors and nurses at NICU, a wonderful and dedicated group of people. Thank you for your support, time and amazing care of our children. A big thank you to the wonderful nurse who in the wee hours of Xmas morning placed near their cribs 2 Xmas cards; one from Jackson & one from Keira addressed to Mum & Dad. In them were real ink prints of their tiny feet. That will be a Xmas morning we will never forget for the rest of our lives.

Also thanks to Gaylene and crew at John Flynn Hospital. It was a short but memorable 3 weeks.

However, a special and greatest mention goes to one amazing person. Dr Luke Jardine, Neonatologist at NICU. Luke, thank you for saving their lives. You are an all-round exceptional human being & we are very grateful to have met you.

The first 3 months was daily crying as a mother, striving to produce breast milk for the increased chance of survival, so constantly attached to a pump feeling like a cow, literally crying over spilt milk and then the amazing joy of breastfeeding for the first time after 2 months from birth. Having to wait a month before we could hold our babies in our arms for the first time was so hard.

Overall the first 5 years for premmies and twins is a story of many sleepless nights, alot of crying as a mother, tough on your relationship and monthly hospital visits. Whenever they got a cold breathing support was required because their lungs weren’t strong enough to breath on their own through sickness, many ENT visits and multiple surgeries for poor Jackson with cysts on his throat and severe croup.

Our twins are now thriving and in full health to manage school, chess, drama, competitive gymnastics and horse riding.

I hope you enjoy the photos below which show a glimpse of our world in their early days December 2009 – March 2010.

All our love,
Mark & Deb, Jackson & Keira