The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) has become a temporary home for now three-month-old twins, Margaret and Elizabeth Touhey, whose complications started when the girls were still in untero.

At 18 weeks, the babies were diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare condition that can occur in identical twin pregnancy. One baby is starved of blood and nutrients while the other receives dangerous amounts.

With little Elizabeth close to heart failure, doctors had to act fast. A laser, inserted into the womb through mum Lucy’s abdomen, was used to sever the shared blood flow.

The laser procedure increased the chance that the girls would arrive prematurely and there was still a risk that one of the babies would be lost.

At 24 weeks, Lucy’s water broke and she was flown to the Mercy Hospital.  She was bed bound for six weeks, allowing Elizabeth critical time to grow. The twins were born by emergency caesarean, Elizabeth weighing just 566g while her sister Margaret was nearly three times that.

Two days before Christmas, Elizabeth was rushed to the RCH Newborn Intensive Care Unit with a life-threatening bowel infection. A few days later, when the antibiotics were not working, doctors removed 20cm of dead bowel.

A few months on, Elizabeth is making steady progress and is on track to reach the 2kg mark next week. She will then have an additional operation to reconnect her bowel.

RCH Director of Neonatal Medicine Dr Rod Hunt says that Elizabeth will catch up to her sister, who is nearly double her size, but she will always have a little scar to mark her brave fight.

Donate to The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal at goodfridayappeal.com.au or phone 9292 1166.