Mum gives thousands to Wishaw hospital that could only save one twin

Kirsty Black had the bittersweet moment of bringing home tiny tot, Ayla, with her partner, Kevin Allan, 34, after they tragically lost little Ava.

We previously reported how the 23-year-old mum had to turn off her baby girl's life support after she was born at 25 weeks weighing just one pound and 11 ounces.

Kirsty and partner Kevin in hospital with Ava (Image: Sourced)

It comes after she suffered a severe brain bleed and had her heart stop for 12 minutes before being let go at just five days old on New Year's day this year.

Meanwhile hero medics battled to save her sister Ayla, who also suffered a brain bleed which was thankfully more mild allowing her to defy the odds and go home to Carluke 93 days later.

Now the first time mum is thanking NHS staff at University Hospital Wishaw by donating money she raised on a race night, amounting to £3,300, to go towards their neonatal unit.

Kirsty and baby Ayla

Kirsty said: “I would like to thank everyone in the maternity department, neonatal unit and the special care baby unit at University Hospital Wishaw for the care they provided to my daughter Ayla.

“The support they provided to both myself and my daughter was exceptional.

“Ayla was in the best of care and the nurses were amazing in looking after her as if she was one of their own.

“I’d also like to thank everyone who came along to the race night for the incredibly generous donations which will go towards helping other premature babies and their families who need specialist care like Ayla required when she was in hospital.”

Kirsty was shocked to go into labour 15 weeks early after suffering sudden intense pains at home.

She was rushed to University Hospital Wishaw for an emergency C section before giving birth to the girls on the 28th of December 2021.

Ava then passed away at 1am on Saturday, January 1in her heartbroken mothers arms.

Kate Boyle, senior midwife and Sharon Oosterbosch, senior charge nurse, UHW; Kirsty Black with baby Ayla; Douglas Black (Kirsty’s father) and Mari Donaldson (Kevin Allan’s au

Kirsty previously told the Glasgow Times: “We knew we had to be strong for Ayla and not lose hope, the nurses were a great support and made sure she was coming home.

“I don’t know where I’ve found the strength.

“Ayla defeated all the odds and luckily only had a little bleed in her brain but it recovered.

“We are lucky that throughout her journey she has done extremely well and was very strong considering she was born 15 weeks early.”

Kate Boyle, senior midwife, UHW, said: “This is a wonderful donation from Ava and Ayla’s family. It was our privilege to care for the family and for them to think of us is so kind.

“This generous donation will be used to help support other families in the neonatal unit who are going through the same experiences and we are so grateful for that.”