They were once dubbed the 'miracle twins' by doctors at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Evie and April Hardiker were born with a condition so rare it only affects one in 4,000 newborn babies - being described by surgeons as 'the smallest set of twins they had ever seen'.
The tots both had Oesophageal Atresia with Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula, a condition where the oesophagus (food pipe) is not connected to the stomach which can lead to serious complications. Try MEN Premium now with our amazing New Year offer...
just click here to give it a go. Parents Lindsay, 38, and Steve, 51, from Burnley, feared the worst as they were told Evie weighed just 720g and April 820g; each the equivalent weight of a loaf of bread.
Within hours of being born April and Evie were taken to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital for major life-saving surgery, led by Consultant Surgeons David Wilkinson and Nick Lansdale.
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