It’s hard to believe that just last year, twins Essanie and Aria were living in Humber’s NICU. Silvia went into labour at only 29 weeks pregnant, and after delivering her first daughter, Essanie, doctors told Silvia she would need an emergency C-section to deliver Aria. Aria was born without vital signs, but after a few terrifying moments, doctors were able to resuscitate her, saving her life.

Today, the family is happy and healthy.

That was only the beginning of a long journey for Essanie, Aria, and their family. Aria stayed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for 2 months and Essanie stayed for nearly 3 months.

“The nurses really made us feel welcome,” says Silvia, “They really made us feel at home. I remember one time I even got a call from our NICU nurse just to tell me that Essanie was holding her head up on her own! It felt so good knowing that the NICU nurses at Humber really cared about us in a way that went above and beyond just excellent medical care.”

Today, both girls are happy and healthy thanks to the care provided by the team at Humber River Hospital.

By 2020, it is estimated that 600-700 babies will require Humber’s NICU every year.

Watch the story of their birth as told by dad Eddison: