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Jesy Nelson’s petition demanding newborn screening for SMA has hit 100,000 signatures in just one day.

The former Little Mix singer has joined forces with the Mirror and her petition to Parliament - demanding all newborn babies are checked for spinal muscular atrophy - is one of the fastest ever to hit the key milestone. It will now be considered to be debated in Parliament. The 34-year-old told ITV’s This Morning on Friday that having her twins, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster, has given her a purpose in life, adding: “They are my whole heart and soul.” The girls who were born prematurely in May were both diagnosed late with the more severe Type 1 form of SMA. It comes after the Mirror reported modelling showing three children will die every year while the NHS waits to roll out a blood test for a muscle wasting disease.

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Jesy gave birth to her twins with fiance Zion Foster while filming a documentary which followed her during her pregnancy called Life After Little Mix, which is now being aired on Amazon Prime.

Discussing watching the documentary, Jesy said: “It’s a lot for me because, obviously, so much has happened since then. Now when I watch it I see everything through such a different lens. I spot signs in the girls that I never saw before. As a mum, you just can’t help but notice those things. I watch it and I’m like: ‘I can’t believe that’s my life.’"

She added: “As dark as this sounds, when the girls got their diagnosis, I was honestly at a point where I thought: ‘Am I ever going to feel happy again?’ I was just so down. But, I am happy again. Sometimes you need to experience the rubbish times to appreciate the good times.”

In a video shared to her 9.7 million followers on Instagram on Friday, Nelson was seen cheering and bursting into tears as her petition reached the milestone. She wrote: “I cannot actually put into words how grateful I am that this moment has just happened right here. And it is all thanks to you guys.

“Thank you to every single person that took time out of their day to sign this petition. You have no idea how much this means to me and the SMA community. This is the first hurdle but we bloody did it, and I truly believe that together we are going to make change.”

The video saw the singer gathered with friends and family as they watched the total signatures on the petition climb toward 100,000, and Nelson could be heard saying: “I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe. It’s too much.”

After the petition hit the milestone, the group jumped up and started screaming and cheering in celebration, before gathering in a group hug. A voice could be heard saying “you did it”, and Nelson then broke down in tears as she shared an embrace with a loved one.

Jesy, who has been told her twins will probably never walk, has described how her babies slowly stopped kicking and moving their legs in the first weeks and months after they were born. They were eventually diagnosed with SMA at six months after numerous visits to the GP and healthcare visitors checking in on them. The NHS had repeatedly assured Jesy that the twins were fine.

Most European nations and the US already check for SMA at birth, so babies can be given drugs which are effectively a cure if administered then - before muscle neurons have died off. If this diagnosis is delayed, even by a few months, it can mean SMA babies will never walk and in more severe cases will need a machine to help them breath and will need to be fed via a pipe directly into their stomach.

Jesy told This Morning presenter Alison Hammond that previously she didn't want to have children. She said: “I think when you become a mum you become like a little lioness. You just somehow muster up this strength that you never had before.

"They have made me the person I always wanted to be. It sounds really deep but I genuinely felt like I had no purpose before them. I feel like they give me a reason every day. They are my whole heart and soul.”

The Mirror reported modelling from Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR) showing three children will die every year while the NHS does not screen for SMA. The Government is now required to respond on the issue as the petition has passed 10,000 signatures.

The speed at which it also surpassed 100,000 signatures means it will almost certainly be debated in Parliament. So far during this Parliament 4,712 petitions have been lodged and only 61 exceeded 100,000 signatures. The Petitions Committee will make a final decision but of the 61 petitions, only one was not granted a debate.

The petition states: "We urge the UK Government to fund and help fast-track the process to add SMA to the NHS newborn heel-prick test. SMA is a rare genetic condition with devastating consequences if not treated early. Every baby should be screened at birth to allow early diagnosis and access to life-changing treatment.

"SMA was one of the leading genetic causes of infant mortality: up to 90% of untreated babies either died before age two or required permanent ventilation. It is now treatable, but treatment is most effective before symptoms appear. Early diagnosis can give babies the chance at a life without severe disability.

"Without screening, many babies are diagnosed too late. The damage already caused to their mobility, breathing and swallowing cannot be reversed. Scotland has committed to piloting SMA newborn screening this year. All babies should have the same chance. No child should suffer avoidable harm."

Three treatments currently available on the NHS can either correct the faulty gene or provide a replacement for the key protein so that muscles do not die off. They are effectively a cure - but only if administered at birth before irreversible muscle damage.

Jesy has spoken publicly about how her girls were diagnosed with the condition only at six months, despite repeated visits to the GP and healthcare visitors checking in on them.

Writing in the Mirror this week, Jesy said: “I’m really proud to be working alongside the Mirror and SMA UK on this campaign and launching this petition. This is something that means a lot to me personally, and I’m passionate about using my platform to raise awareness, support families affected, and help drive real change. Partnering with organisations who care so deeply about this makes it even more special to be part of.”

The UK National Screening Committee (UKNSC) first decided not to add SMA to the newborn screening programme in 2018 but since 2019 three major treatments have been made available on the NHS which can virtually eradicate the condition.

The plan for an NHS pilot means full screening rollout is unlikely before 2031 on the current schedule. However NHS Scotland has just decided to go ahead with newborn screening for SMA and will add it to their routine heel prick test from the spring. Babies in Wales and Northern Ireland will not be screened under the current plan.

Experts insist there is enough evidence internationally to justify immediately rolling out SMA screening for all newborns.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has promised to ask the committee whether it would be feasible to expand the pilot so that all babies are screened for the condition. Jesy told This Morning: “Apparently Wes has been doing a lot, which is great news. All the steps are going in the right direction.”

SMA UK have set up a text line for people to help support families affected by SMA. Text JESY5 to 70470 to donate £5 to SMA UK.