Jules and Alexy: A Journey Through the NICU Together.2150
On June 10, 2020, Anne-Marie went to Sainte-Justine for what she thought would be a routine checkup at 27 weeks of pregnancy. She could not have anticipated that within three days, she would give birth. That routine visit quickly became a critical moment, as medical teams identified that her twins, Jules and Alexy, were in danger due to Twin Anemia-Polycythemia Sequence (TAPS), a rare condition affecting blood flow in the placenta. The diagnosis prompted urgent care and set in motion a complex medical journey for the family.
“The care we received—for Jules, Alexy, and myself—was exceptional. The human approach of Dr. François Audibert made all the difference,” recalls Anne-Marie. “For the staff, it was their daily work, but for us, it was the challenge of a lifetime.” Her words highlight not only the medical expertise involved but also the compassion and support that made an otherwise overwhelming experience more bearable.
Following their early and complicated birth, the twins required specialized care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Because each twin needed different medical interventions, they could not initially remain in the same room. The separation was difficult for the family, who longed for the twins to experience the comfort of being together, side by side. However, the NICU teams worked tirelessly to monitor, treat, and support both Jules and Alexy, providing around-the-clock care that ensured their survival and gradual growth.
The first months were marked by both challenges and small victories. Each day brought progress—stabilizing vital signs, improving feeding, and gradually gaining strength. Every movement, every response from the twins, was a moment of hope. For parents like Anne-Marie, the NICU environment can feel overwhelming, filled with monitors, tubes, and procedures, but the dedication and empathy of the healthcare teams provide reassurance that their children are receiving the best possible care.
After two months of intensive monitoring and treatment, Jules and Alexy were finally reunited. The moment was a celebration for the family, who had waited anxiously to see their children together again. Watching the twins side by side, sharing comfort and warmth, was a powerful reminder of both their fragility and resilience. The reunion marked not just a medical milestone, but a deeply emotional victory for the family, who had navigated countless moments of uncertainty and fear.
Altogether, Jules and Alexy spent 104 days at Sainte-Justine, a period that required constant vigilance, patience, and compassion from both medical staff and their family. Their story illustrates the extraordinary challenges of caring for premature and medically fragile infants, as well as the strength of children and families facing these circumstances. Despite the difficulties, the twins’ progress demonstrated the impact of expert medical care, teamwork, and the human touch that accompanies every NICU intervention.
The journey of Jules and Alexy would not have been possible without the generosity of donors. Contributions to Sainte-Justine allow medical teams to develop innovative treatments, provide advanced equipment, and ensure that families receive the support they need. Donations make it possible to create a gentler, more nurturing environment, giving children like Jules and Alexy a better start in life and parents the reassurance that their children are being cared for with skill, compassion, and dedication.
Today, both twins are on a path toward growth, health, and future milestones that will continue to bring joy to their family. Their story is a testament to resilience, hope, and the profound difference that specialized neonatal care can make. It is also a reminder that while the first days of life may be fraught with medical challenges, with expert care and community support, children can begin life with a foundation of strength and possibility.
For Anne-Marie and her family, the experience will never be forgotten. The dedication of Sainte-Justine staff, the empathy of Dr. François Audibert, and the generosity of donors have transformed what could have been a time of fear and uncertainty into a journey marked by care, courage, and small triumphs. Through their perseverance, Jules and Alexy have had a start to life that balances medical excellence with the warmth and human connection every child deserves.
💛 Thanks to donors, children like Jules and Alexy can receive the care they need, ensuring a brighter, safer, and more joyful beginning to life, even in the face of extraordinary medical challenges.
From Filth to Freedom: Two Dogs Saved by Courage and Compassion.1036
In a river choked with trash and thick, foul-smelling sludge, two terrified dogs fought for their lives. The water was dark, polluted, and filled with floating debris, making every movement a desperate struggle. Their paws churned against the murky currents, their small bodies exhausted from the constant effort to stay afloat. The air along the riverbank was thick with an unbearable stench that made many onlookers turn away. Yet some lingered, horrified by the helpless scene unfolding before them. The dogs’ cries, once loud and frantic, began to weaken as their energy waned. It seemed that the river, polluted and merciless, might claim them.
Watching from the shore was their owner, her expression unreadable. But instead of stepping forward to help, she turned her back and walked away, leaving the animals to fend for themselves. Gasps rippled through the crowd, and whispers of outrage spread. People were shocked, but fear and uncertainty held them back. No one dared step into the contaminated water. For those two dogs, it was a moment of despair — a moment that could have been their last.
Then, amid the helplessness and silence, a young man appeared. He was dressed simply, wearing tall rubber boots, and carrying a large fishing net. There was no hesitation in his movements, no time wasted in doubt. He stepped directly into the sludge-filled water, wading carefully but swiftly toward the struggling animals. Ignoring the filth, the stink, and the dangers beneath the surface, his focus remained fixed on reaching the dogs and bringing them to safety.
One by one, he reached them. The lighter-colored dog was the first he lifted, its small body trembling violently as it was removed from the polluted water. The dog tried to shake off the grime clinging to its fur, weakly pawing at the man’s hands. The darker dog, however, had almost given up. Its body sagged, energy spent, and it lay on the river’s edge, barely able to lift its head. The cream-colored dog, now standing on solid ground, approached the man and gently licked his boots, a simple gesture that spoke volumes: gratitude, relief, and a plea for its companion.
The black dog’s rescue came next. Once safely on shore, it slowly began to regain strength, its breathing steadying, and its eyes reflecting the first flicker of trust in what must have felt like an eternity. The rescuer carefully carried both animals back toward safety, unwilling to leave either behind, determined to ensure that they would not face that terror again.
Back at his home, the young man prepared a bath. Warm water, soap, and gentle hands began to wash away the filth of the river, the sludge, the fear, and the neglect that had clung to their small bodies. The cream-colored dog shivered at first, uncertain of this new environment, but the warmth and reassurance of human care gradually calmed it. The black dog, once exhausted and wary, began to respond, nudging against the rescuer’s leg, beginning to trust that it was safe.
As the grime disappeared, so did their fear. Their fur fluffed up, shining clean and soft, revealing the beauty that had been hidden beneath layers of pollution and neglect. Their eyes, once wide with panic, now reflected relief and curiosity. They began to explore their surroundings, tentative at first, then with growing confidence. Soft whimpers and cautious tail wags signaled a fragile hope beginning to take root — hope that life could be safe, that they could be loved, that the terror of the river need never touch them again.
After their bath, they were wrapped in warm blankets, lying side by side, allowing themselves to finally rest. The cream-colored dog curled against the rescuer’s legs, closing its eyes for the first time in what must have been days, and the black dog nestled beside it, still cautious but slowly relaxing. Sunlight streamed through the windows, and for the first time, these dogs felt a sense of peace, a sense of safety, and, perhaps, a glimpse of joy.
From that day forward, life for the two dogs changed completely. No longer abandoned, no longer ignored, they had found a protector who refused to turn away. They now lived in a home where they were fed, cared for, and loved. Their days were filled with warmth, gentle hands, and soft beds. And though the memory of the river and the neglect that brought them there would never completely fade, it was overshadowed by the overwhelming security and affection they now knew.
The young man’s courage, his willingness to step into the dirty water when everyone else hesitated, gave these dogs more than life. It gave them trust. It gave them safety. It gave them a future filled with hope and the chance to know love for the first time. From the polluted river to the comfort of a warm home, their journey stands as a testament to the difference one brave soul can make — proving that compassion, determination, and courage can transform despair into hope, fear into trust, and abandonment into family.
