Jesy Nelson urges UK newborn SMA screening while caring for twins diagnosed with Type 1

Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson posted an emotional video of herself on a park swing with one of her twin daughters, explaining that her hope is to one day push the girls on a swing unaided. The twins, Ocean and Story, were diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1, the most severe form that prevents children from sitting independently and can be fatal without early treatment.

Nelson has been campaigning for nationwide newborn screening for SMA in the UK. She attended a parliamentary debate on the issue, expressed outrage that the rollout will initially cover only 72 % of the country, and cited a petition that gathered over 150,000 signatures. The UK National Screening Committee has proposed a staggered rollout, leaving regions such as Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, Oxford and Portsmouth without testing until later.

Nelson continues to raise awareness, emphasizing that early treatment can be life‑changing and that untreated children often do not survive past their second birthday. She pledged to keep fighting for universal screening and treatment access for all newborns.