Jesy Nelson is taking a positive approach after her 8-month-old twin baby girls were diagnosed with a serious muscle disease.
In January 2026, the 34-year-old English singer announced that her twin daughters, Story Monroe and Ocean Jade, had been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) Type 1.
According to Cleveland Clinic, SMA “is a genetic condition that causes worsening muscle weakness. There are five subtypes, which vary in severity and age at which symptoms appear. There is no cure for SMA, but certain therapies and medications can help manage symptoms.”
Nelson, who shares her daughters with ex-fiance Zion Foster, appeared on the Wednesday, February 4, episode of Jamie Laing’s podcast Great company.
While explaining Story and Ocean’s condition, the mother of two admitted that she firmly believes her girls will “defy all odds” and live beyond the age of two.
She joked, “So spinal muscular atrophy is a muscle wasting disease, and what it does is, well, they don’t have a gene that we all have in our bodies. That’s why their muscles deteriorate and waste away.”
“And if you don’t treat them in time, eventually the muscles will all die, which then affects breathing, swallowing, everything, and they will die before the age of 2,” Nelson shared.
“I just have to accept it, and now I’m just trying to make the best of this situation,” says the Heartbreaking anthem crooner declared, after Laing expressed his condolences to her.
Story and Ocean “are the strongest, most resilient babies,” Nelson said.
