A FAMILY focusing on a twin baby saved while mourning the baby lost have spoken out about their experience in an attempt to help others.

Vicky and Dan Dewey faced every parents’ worst nightmare when 35-year-old Vicky went into labour just 25 weeks into her pregnancy.

Twins Blaine and Thea were born extremely premature and faced an uphill struggle just to stay alive, weighing just 1lb 12 and 1lb 8 respectively.

Blaine lost his fight for life 14 days later.

Thea continues her fight to grow strong.

While facing the most difficult times of their lives, the selfless couple are still thinking of others.

Father-of-four Dan said: “We’re looking at it as although it’s absolutely heartbreaking what happened with Blaine, it could have been so much worse.

“It could have been both of them or it could have been them and mum as well so we’re trying to stay positive.”

The couple were excited when they found out they were having twins earlier this year and they were due to be born on December 23.

But on September 9, Vicky was rushed to Southend Hospital after losing two pints of blood at their home in Rebels Lane, Southend.

Dan, 29, said: “The journey seemed to take forever. We were both aware the blue lights weren’t on so thought it couldn’t have been that bad but then half way through, the blue lights went on and I realised it was really serious. We were rushed to the maternity ward and it felt like an eternity but it wasn’t until we read the post-natal notes we realised it all happened within an hour of us reaching the hospital.

“The team did an amazing job in a short space of time to give my family the best chance.”

The babies were given just a ten per cent chance of survival and were immediately put on life-saving machines to help them breathe.

They were transferred to Addenbrooke’s in Cambridge to receive specialist care but while Thea began to thrive, Blaine’s condition deteriorated and he died on September 23.

Vicky and Dan have spent every day at Addenbrooke’s with Thea helping her to continue her fight for life.

“Thea is doing really well - we are really proud of her. She is now six weeks old and is getting stronger each day,” he said.

“You compare the pictures of her when she was born and how she looks now and it’s really comforting to see she is filling out.

“We were going to Addenbrooke’s a few hours each day but she was able to transferred to Southend Hospital so is now much closer to us. She should be home by December 23.

“We wanted to share our story because you spend so much time in the neonatal unit, you speak to parents going through similar experiences and it really helps.

“When we first arrived, we grew anxious at every alarm that came from the machines and other parents would tell us they were the same when they first arrived.

“Now we’re more experienced and understand what’s going on.

“We hope sharing this story will let others know they are not alone.”