"Towie Star Kelsey Opens Up About Sister's Condition Similar to Jesy's Twins: A Journey of Tragedy and Hope"

LONG before finding fame on The Only Way Is Essex, Kelsey Stratford’s life changed forever when she became a carer for her newborn twin siblings at just 12 years old.

Kennedy and Karter were diagnosed with (SMA) – the same blighting star ’s twins – after their parents noticed they weren’t able to lift their heads like other babies.

Kelsey Stratford’s twin siblings, Kennedy and Karter, were diagnosed with Spinal Muscular AtrophyCredit: Supplied Little Mix star Jesy Nelson’s twins have also been diagnosed with SMACredit: Instagram/Jesynelson Jesy’s admission that Ocean Jade and Story Monroe have the most severe form of the rare muscle-wasting disease has stirred up strong emotions for KelseyCredit: Instagram

Weeks later, three-month-old Karter tragically passed away, while his surviving sister was given just 18 months to live, leaving the family devastated.

Jesy’s heartbreaking admission that her , Ocean Jade and Story Monroe, have the most severe form of has stirred up strong emotions for former star .

Her sister has so far defied the odds and is still living with SMA aged 13, but can’t walk, talk or feed herself.

“Jesy’s life will sadly change forever,” Kelsey, 25, tells us. “When someone you love is diagnosed with SMA, there is constant worry, exhaustion, fear and heartbreak.

“I grew up very quickly and learned how fragile life really is. It changed how I see the world.

“Jesy will be going through shock, fear and overwhelming . There’s also a deep sense of helplessness knowing your child is struggling, but not being able to fix it yourself.”

Around 70 babies are born with SMA each year in the UK. Of those, around 60 per cent have the more severe SMA Type 1 – the variant affecting Jesy’s twins – according to Spinal Muscular Atrophy UK, which offers support to those affected.

But thanks to recent advances in treatment, nearly three-quarters [73 per cent] of children with SMA1 in the UK are now older than two years, with just 11 deaths recorded between March 2018 and March 2023.

Despite the positive advances, Kelsey says the emotional toll on of children with SMA can be hard to bear.

“It’s mentally exhausting, especially in those early days when everything feels uncertain,” she says.

“It hardens you in some ways, but it also makes you more compassionate, more protective and more aware of how unfair life can be.

“It affects the family in every possible way, but also teaches you resilience and love that you never knew you were capable of.”

Jesy gave birth to her twins with fiancé Zion Foster prematurely, at 31 weeks, in May 2025.

In an emotional video posted on this weekend, the 34-year-old singer said it was her mother, Janice, who first raised concern about the tots, soon after they were born.

Fight for life

Jesy explained: “A few months ago, my mum noticed that the girls were not showing as much movement in their legs as they should be.

“It wasn’t really a concern to me at the time because I was told, ‘your babies are premature, so do not compare your babies to other babies’.”

However, she was finally told they have the lifelong disabling condition, which causes dramatic muscle weakness, with severe breathing and swallowing issues.

It is commonly fatal without radical treatment, and if babies with severe SMA are not treated in time, their life expectancy is often under two years.

Kelsey’s sister has so far defied the odds and is still living with SMA aged 13, but can’t walk, talk or feed herselfCredit: Supplied But three-month-old Karter tragically passed away from the diseaseCredit: Supplied TOWIE star Kelsey appeared on the show before leaving in 2021Credit: ITV

“I’m grieving a life I thought I was going to have with my children,” said Jesy.

“I truly believe that my girls will defy all odds. And with the right help, they will fight this and go on to do things that have never been done.”

Kelsey says that losing her younger brother weeks after his diagnosis is something that “stays with me every day”.

However, she finds strength in his twin sister’s fight for life.

Every six months, the teenager is given the injectable drug Spinraza (also known by its generic name Nusinersen). It is the first disease-modifying treatment for SMA and, since becoming available on the NHS in 2019, has helped lengthen the life expectancy of those affected.

Sadly for Kennedy, there was too much damage done as a newborn, and she still needs round-the-clock care.

Kelsey says their parents Jeanette, 48, and Paul, 45, work tirelessly to keep her alive, ensuring Kennedy is given regular treatments to clear her lungs.

She is put on a nebuliser three times a day to help her cough assists, which prevents infections and improves breathing by inflating the lungs for those with weak respiratory muscles.

She is reliant on a BiPAP machine – a type of ventilator – to help her breathe and is visited by a nurse for daily physio to keep her body moving.

There are also regular trips to hospital to keep a close eye on her condition.

But Kelsey is keen for Jesy not to lose hope and, in a sweet message to the star, says: “I want Jesy to know that me and my family are always here if she needs any help.

There will be moments of intense fear and stress, but also moments of incredible strength and love. It’s normally unheard of that my sister is alive at 13 years old

Kelsey

“She will be their mum, politician, nurse, teacher, voice, bodyguard and specialist in SMA and respiratory. Everything becomes more cautious, more structured and will be centred around her children’s needs.

“People from the outside never quite get how hard it is, but when you live in it day-to-day, that’s when it hits hard.

“There will be moments of intense fear and stress, but also moments of incredible strength and love.

“It’s normally unheard of that my sister is alive at 13 years old.”

There is currently no cure for SMA, but there are treatments and support available to help sufferers have the best possible quality of life.

It does not affect intelligence or cause learning disabilities.

Kelsey previously opened up about the condition’s impact on her family during her three-year stint on TOWIE and was praised for raising awareness.

Kelsey, who left the show in 2021, says: “One of the hardest parts of SMA is knowing that the mind is completely normal – they are fully aware, intelligent, and emotionally present, but trapped inside a body that doesn’t work the way it should.

“I’ve seen this firsthand with my sister Kennedy, who has been brought back to life and on life-support machines after something as simple as a cold.

“Watching someone you love want nothing more than to be like everyone else, while knowing they can’t, is heartbreaking. It stays with you forever.”

I’m grieving a life I thought I was going to have with my children, said Jesy who gave birth to her twins with fiancé Zion Foster prematurely in May 2025Credit: Instagram

If a doctor thinks your child could have SMA, a blood test can be used to confirm the diagnosis.

As it stands, when babies in the UK are five days old, a routine blood‑spot test through a tiny heel prick checks them for nine rare, but serious conditions.

However, SMA is not yet part of the standard NHS newborn screening panel.

Progress is being made, however – from early this year, a two-year pilot scheme will see become the first part of the UK to routinely screen newborns for the condition.

Countries including , and have already introduced nationwide SMA testing for newborns.

“My heart goes out to any families going through this and I would love to do more this year,” adds Kelsey who now models on OnlyFans.

“SMA is not spoken about enough and many parents don’t even know it exists until it directly affects them – just like mine.

“Earlier screening and better education could spare families a lot of trauma and allow support and treatment to begin sooner. When you’ve lived through this, you realise how important early intervention really is.”