LEIGH-ANNE Pinnock has broken her silence on her former Little Mix co-star Jesy Nelson’s twins “awful, heartbreaking” SMA diagnosis.
Jesy revealed the emotional news in January that her daughters, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe were diagnosed with Type 1 Spinal Muscular Atrophy.
She quit the band back in 2020 and has since not had any contact with Leigh-Anne, Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards.
The 34-year-old revealed all about her exit on her Life After Little Mix documentary last month and also recently said her former bandmates have been in touch since she went public with the news.
Now Leigh-Anne, also 34, has opened up about the situation for the first time.
During an interview with Australian radio DJ Smallzy, he expressed: “She said all of the Little Mix girls have been so supportive, I just can’t even imagine how tough that would be for a mum, right?”
The singer responded: “Heartbreaking, just awful. We all obviously did reach out to her, it’s the worst thing ever.
“I think she’s really incredible for spreading the awareness.”
The host then pressed: “No matter the group no longer being together, is there like a sisterhood still where you have each other’s backs, you still show up for each other?”
Leigh-Anne said: “I think that’s the special thing about us, we will always be there if we need each other for sure.
“I think, especially for me, Jade and Perrie, we’re super, super close and I think you need that in this industry too.
“There’s just so much toxicity that can come with it and there’s just so much pressure as well so knowing that you can just reach out to people that are going through it too, we’re the only ones that know exactly what this experience is like. It’s so needed.”
Jesy shared the heartbreaking news in an Instagram video at the start of the year.
She bravely admitted: “If it’s not treated in time, your baby’s life expectancy will not make it past the age of two.”
The X Factor star described how it was her mum Janice who had first showed concern about the twins soon after they were born.
She said: “A few months ago my mum noticed that the girls were not showing as much movement in their legs as they should be.
“It wasn’t really a concern to me at the time because from the minute I left NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit), I was told ‘your babies are premature, so do not compare your babies to other babies. They won’t reach the same milestones, take them as they are and they will get where they need to be when they do’.”
Just yesterday, Jesy shared an update with her fans as she posted a sweet clip of the twins doing their “ballerina” exercises to keep their legs mobile.
Speaking to one of the twins in the video, she said: “Are you gonna show them how you move your legs? Your a little ballerina, come on.
“Good girl. Little ballerina, yes you are.”
Jesy panned the camera up to her daughter’s face and she seemed super chilled as she bent and unbent her leg.
The tot was spotted with her feeding tube in her nose as it helps to clear their chests.
Since revealing her twins’ diagnosis, Jesy is now campaigning for the NHS to expand the standard heel prick test to screen for SMA1.
She says the test, which costs around £1, could have “saved their legs” by giving them access to treatment sooner.
If the twins had been tested and treated in time, there was a chance they would have avoided disability.