By: Erin Betler

Kelly and Tom Finley of Union Township, Pa., were excited to find out the gender of their identical twins at Kelly’s 17-week prenatal appointment in the spring of 2010. But during the routine ultrasound her doctor was silent with a stoic expression.

“My doctor turned to me and said my babies had Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome and that it was one of the worst cases he had ever seen. I was in shock,” Kelly says.

Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) is a condition where twins share common vessels on the placenta, causing one baby to receive too much blood volume, while the other baby receives too little. Kelly’s TTTS diagnosis was extremely advanced. One of the twins had barely any amniotic fluid, and doctors were not optimistic this baby would make it.

There are few hospitals that offer care for TTTS, because only 10% of identical twins who share a placenta will develop this condition. Early intervention is key, and one or both babies may not survive if nothing is done. Kelly was immediately sent to UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, the only center in the geographically accessible region that can treat the syndrome. Dr. Stephen Emery, a UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist, manages these complicated monochorionic (single placenta) pregnancies.

Dr. Emery was able to separate the blood vessels connecting the babies using a laser ablation. Within hours of surgery, the ultrasound showed the procedure was a success, and the fluids were evening out in both babies. “TTTS can potentially harm three patients, the mother and both babies, so this treatment really improves overall perinatal outcomes,” explains Dr. Emery.

On Dec. 1, 2010, Cassandra and Irelynn Finley were born five weeks early via Cesarean section. Today they are healthy, active 12-year-old girls. Despite prematurity, the Finley twins avoided a potential hospital stay of several weeks and were strong enough to be discharged with their mother. The Finley twins’ remarkable story was included in the Discovery Channel show, “Life Changing Medicine,” which aired when the girls were just 9 months old.

“We were told to be cautious and expect developmental delays,” Kelly says. “But at every checkup, the doctors are more and more amazed.”

During the years that Cassandra and Irelynn attended Union Memorial Elementary School, they organized several events to raise awareness and money for TTTS, benefiting UPMC Magee and its fetal therapy program. “We want there to be funds available for families and for research. There are only so many doctors in the U.S. who deal with TTTS, and families need means to travel,” Kelly states.

When the Finley twins were in first grade, they sold paper twin-to-twin hearts for $2 and displayed them on school walls leading up to Valentine’s Day. That year they also organized the donation of some of the proceeds from purchases made at one of the girl’s favorite frozen yogurt shops, Sweet Frog’s in Union Township, to go to UPMC Magee.

This year, the twins finished fifth grade with one last fundraiser at Union Memorial where they raised more than $400. Cassandra and Irelynn sold paper daisies, the TTTS Foundation’s symbol of hope, for $1 and displayed them throughout the hallways of their school building.

In an email, the twins state together, “If everyone knows about this terrible disease then maybe it will help save more babies diagnosed with it. We want to give back because so many people prayed for and supported our family when Mommy was diagnosed with TTTS.”

At the 2022 Noah Angelici Memorial Golf Event, Dr. Emery shared the Finley twins’ beautiful story of commitment to giving back and fundraising for UPMC Magee, as well as the positive update that UPMC Magee continues to lead the way in continuously improving TTTS outcomes. The whole room broke into a standing ovation. “I have a profound gratitude for these survivor patients. Their acts of generosity have now moved from the parents to the children,” states Dr. Emery.

“We’re doing all this because of everything that was done for my girls to save them,” Kelly explains. “Because after almost 12 years we are still so thankful for everything that UPMC Magee and Dr. Emery have done for our family.”