Bringing Chaos Under Control

The birth of Tanya’s twins was a traumatic event.  Then, her marriage broke down.  Tanya was left with responsibilities she now had to bear on her own, and questioning how she would ever cope.

Hope and Faith

As she prepared herself for the challenge of having twins, Tanya learned of serious prenatal complications. Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome occurs when blood is not equally exchanged between both twins. One baby receives too much blood, the other  too little. Depending on the severity of the transfusion the outcome could be grave.  Tanya’s goal was to carry the twins until they could be delivered safely.

In 2007, at 30 weeks gestation, Hope and Faith were born, each weighing 2lb 10oz.

“My new arrivals brought double the work, double the chaos and double the stress,” says Tanya.

Learning to Cope

“As a single parent, I was pulled in every direction,” says Tanya. “I never seemed to have enough time, energy, patience or money. I often felt things were spinning out of control.”

Tanya frequently talked about her frustrations to Tracy, a Salvation Army worker who had previously helped Tanya with food when she was between jobs. Through her friendship with Tracy, Tanya learned of other services that The Salvation Army in Barrie, Ont., offered.

“From pull-ups to school snacks to restaurant-like meals, The Salvation Army eases my financial pressures,” says Tanya. “They also helped me secure birth certificates for the twins. On social assistance there is no extra money for that sort of thing.”

A Beautiful Bond

As a result of their premature birth, Hope and Faith have learning disabilities. Help from The Salvation Army allows Tanya to put aside enough money to allow the girls to participate in school pizza days and book fairs. They feel included and good about themselves.

“I not only have support and encouragement from The Salvation Army,” says Tanya, “I have double hugs, double kisses and double cuddles on the couch. Life doesn’t get any better than that.”