Premature Kansas twins celebrate milestone with advanced medical care

ONAGA (KSNT) - November is Prematurity Awareness month and one local family is celebrating over a year of perseverance from their twin boys.

A dedicated medical team at Stormont Vail Health delivered Hudson and Henry Whorton several weeks early in 2023. Despite multiple operations and other setbacks, things are looking up for the family.

"We're so thankful and grateful," mother Alexis Whorton said. "The care that they got was wonderful and we're able to all be at home together."

Both born at 24 weeks, Hudson and Henry missed critical steps in their development. But because of the hard work of Neonatologists at the hospital, the twins eventually went home with their parents.

"Every organ system here is premature and we have to take great care because they are really fragile," said Dr. Maria Navarro, Neonatologist at Stormont Vail and Pediatrix Neonatology of Topeka. "With advances in medical care, babies who are born preterm are more likely to survive than ever before."

Finally getting home with the twins was unchartered territory, but his parents say they're grateful to have them home now, as they're growing fast. The twins celebrated their first birthday this past summer.