'I said no to an abortion but my unborn child had devastating rare diagnosis, then something major happened'

A mum said no after she was offered an abortion after discovering her unborn daughter had a rare brain condition and abnormality. Now, the family is now celebrating her incredible recovery after the tot underwent major surgery on her oesophagus at just a few hours old.

Marie Stockdale, 35, a dinner lady from Penrith, Cumbria, was delighted to be expecting twin daughters with her partner, 48-year-old HGV driver Paul Kipling. But their excitement soon turned to frantic worry.

While Mila was healthy in the womb, doctors found that her twin Ava had a rare brain condition and an abnormality where her oesophagus was not attached correctly, which would likely need surgery after being born. Marie tuned down a termination to give Ava a “chance to fight” - when the twins were born in May 2022 Ava underwent emergency surgery to correct her oesophagus.