The delivery room at Frere Hospital was deathly silent on Easter in 1985 when Samantha and Bianca Stanford were born three-and-a-half months early, so small their survival seemed impossible — yet, decades later and despite all odds, these miracle twins are less than a month away from their 40th birthdays on April 6.
The wonder of their survival despite a harrowing delivery became a local sensation in the mid-1980s, as they were among the smallest babies ever born at Frere Hospital to have survived. The twins should have arrived on July 9 but complications with the pregnancy brought on labour 12 weeks early.
Samantha was born first, weighing only 740g and Bianca came second at 800g — both weighing less than a bag of sugar. Samantha was so tiny that the ECG machine used to monitor her heart at birth was heavy enough to break two of her little ribs. Their mother Beth Niemand said it was expected that the twins would not survive as Samantha was given 15% chance of survival and Bianca was given 10%.
Beth said: “I will never forget the day they were born because the silence and tension in the delivery room was palpable. Nobody wanted to give us false hope because it seemed that they couldn’t stay alive.
“They were so small and their birth was such an uncommon occurrence that when the nursing students at Frere saw them, they took flight from fright because the twins looked like little tree frogs — so tiny and vulnerable.”
Samantha and Bianca spent their first three months in the incubators at Frere and when they were finally allowed home, they were so small they could only fit into dolls’ clothes.
Their turbulent arrival marked the start of many health struggles which to Beth, felt as though life was intent on testing her children’s will to continue to fight for their survival. Samantha was two years old when her heart stopped beating on several occasions in addition to contracting pneumonia, and then a few years later both twins were diagnosed with lupus.
Beth said the twins went from being happy and upbeat children, to optimistic, sensitive and caring adults.
Beth said: “The twins’ birth changed me because they taught me to put my faith in God and when I did this, they became stronger and stronger and so did I.
“The lesson we can all take from their story is that no matter what happens, you must persevere.
“You can be given as slim a chance at life as the twins were but if you trust in God, there are no battles you can’t overcome.
“To see the girls reach the age of 40 feels like a victory that was just an impossible dream. My wish for them is more years of health, happiness and love because they are beautiful souls with the softest hearts.”
Bianca said her bond with Samantha is the foundation of who she is and she cannot imagine a life without her twin.
She said: “My sister is such an inspiration to me because with everything she has been through, she has never given up. I am most grateful to wake up every day knowing my sister is still with me.
“My dream is to always have my twin by my side and for us to live a long and happy life together.”
Samantha said they share a bond that others cannot comprehend.
She added: “Our story is there to remind families experiencing premature deliveries to be strong and have faith because we made it. We will always be grateful to our mom. She is one amazing mother and we couldn’t have asked to be raised by anyone better.”
Eastern Cape health department spokesperson Siyanda Manana said Frere Hospital celebrates this milestone as a testament of the hospital’s history of exemplary maternity care.
Manana added: “With highly trained clinical staff and advancing technology, the hospital improves survival chances for critical patients.”
