Jesy Nelson shares adorable update on twins amid heartbreaking SMA diagnosis

Olivia Gantzer
Sun, 12 Apr 2026 21:45:53 +0000

Jesy Nelson has offered fans a glimpse of her twin daughters' adorable developing locks, playfully likening their curly hair to that of the iconic Cabbage Patch dolls.

The former Little Mix singer, 34, posted the endearing image on her Instagram Stories earlier today, showing one of her nine-month-old babies wearing a white and red babygrow with a feeding tube visible in her nose.

"Her hair, she's literally a little cabbage patch doll," Ms Nelson wrote alongside the photograph, before sharing an image of the famous toy for younger followers unfamiliar with the reference.

The lighthearted moment comes as Ocean and Story face additional medical examinations in their ongoing battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1.

Ms Nelson disclosed in January that both infants had been diagnosed with the rare genetic condition, which causes progressive muscle deterioration.

The disease affects motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, leading to gradual muscle wasting throughout the body.

Type 1 represents the most severe form of SMA.

Just days ago, the singer shared a photograph of her daughters lying together on a hospital bed during a medical examination.

Both babies were dressed in coordinating yellow and pink outfits, with feeding tubes in place.

Ms Nelson captioned that image with a touching observation about Ocean watching her sister being examined, writing: "Ocean's face she's like 'I see what you doing to my sister.'" (sic)

Despite the challenging circumstances, Ms Nelson appears to be in positive spirits following recent developments in her campaign for universal newborn SMA screening.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that approximately 400,000 babies will be tested for the condition from October 2026, bringing forward plans that were originally scheduled for January 2027.

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"I know it is a really big moment for the SMA community because this has been going on for years trying to get this passed, so yeah it is a real proud moment," Nelson said of the announcement.

However, the singer has expressed frustration that the screening programme will not cover all areas of England initially.

"It is bit bittersweet because basically they are only doing it in certain areas of England, so if you do not live in that certain postcode or part of England then your baby won't be tested for SMA, which is really sad," she explained.

"It's essentially a postcode lottery for your baby which shouldn't be the case. All babies lives matter."

Ms Nelson has been vocal about the fact that her daughters' late diagnosis meant they will never be able to walk.

She told The Mirror: "There'll be 163,000 babies that won't get screened - and that is a lot of babies. If you live in a certain part of the country you're not going to get tested."

Three treatments currently approved on the NHS can halt the disease's progression, but they cannot reverse damage already done to nerve cells.

A petition backed by Ms Nelson's supporters has gathered 100,000 signatures and will now be debated in Parliament.

The singer continues documenting her family's journey for a Prime Video series, having decided to keep filming after receiving the diagnosis.

"There's a reason you guys are here, and we've got to make the best out of this situation," she said of her decision to continue sharing their story.