Tiny tots lead the way to save their baby friends
Happy birthday to two very special little boys. Born at 25 weeks and 4 days the twins are already veteran charity campaigners for the Action Medical Research Touching Tiny Lives campaign and we have been lucky enough to follow their amazing first year on this website.
The tiny two-some were born prematurely on 2nd of December last year - nearly 15 weeks early, weighing in at just 890 and 800 grammes (which is around 2lbs each).
Dad, Martin, began a blog or online diary to chart their progress and thousands of people regularly check on the progress of Viking and King of the Elves (as they are fondly known by their followers).
Readers have been a part of their lives from the early tearful and frightening days of special care through to their homecoming, check-ups and Martin’s Joss Stone incident……!
The twins began campaigning for funding to prevent their fellow babies from being born too soon when they joined the national charity Action Medical Research earlier this year.
"We have been amazed by the response, they have fans all over the world now!
"Initially we started the blog so that our family and friends could keep track of their progress and it seems that their popularity has just grown and grown!
"Although they are fine now, the twins were born very early and their time in special care was terrifying.
"Things could have turned out so differently; but we were very fortunate.
"So I was astounded to find out that there is so little money spent on finding ways to stop babies from being born too soon.
"Hundreds of millions are spent each year on special care, yet only a few million on preventing babies from needing it.
"It seems crazy to me; which is why the twins are supporting the Action Medical Research Touching Tiny Lives Campaign.
"They have to be the most gorgeous, cutest bloggers in the UK.
"But then I am biased!"
Martin Holdcroft - the twins dad
Andy Proctor of Action Medical Research said the charity is very grateful for their support, "Edmund and Aubrey are fantastic baby bloggers. They have to be the UK's tiniest charity volunteers.
"Martin has a point though. Even our top researchers say there is not enough money they call it the 'Cinderella' area of government funding.
"Action Medical Research is one of the biggest charity funders in this area but it really does need a higher priority in terms of government spending.
"Too many babies are suffering and we believe that it could be prevented."
The charity is raising over £3 million to help to find answers to premature birth and pregnancy complications.
