Steve and Stacey Waugh were thrilled when they found out they were having twins. After complications early in the pregnancy, both babies were born healthy at full term. But the Waughs know their story could have ended differently. Now they're making sure that other families expecting twins can have a happy and healthy start too.

It was just a routine 22-week ultrasound. Stacey Waugh's appointments at Sunnybrook had become so familiar that she told her husband, Steve, to drop her off and go to work.

But then she got the shock of her life: the ultrasound revealed a complication with her pregnancy, and if she didn't have emergency surgery that very day, she would lose the babies.

Stacey's first call was to Steve, who rushed from his downtown office to Sunnybrook. Her second call was to Dr. Arthur Zaltz, chief of the Women & Babies Program at Sunnybrook, who had delivered their first child, Riley. A trusted figure in the Waughs' lives, Dr. Zaltz stayed with Stacey until Steve arrived before performing the surgery.

His calm, capable presence was a tremendous support for Steve and Stacey, whose parents were out of town at the time. "Your parents are who you turn to during times of grief or crisis," Stacey explains. "Not having them there was hard. The Sunnybrook team filled that role very well."

After the surgery, Stacey was also cared for by Dr. Jon Barrett, a world-renowned expert in twin fetal medicine and founder of the Multiple Pregnancy Clinic at Sunnybrook, Canada's first specialized centre for multiple births. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Barrett, Dr. Zaltz and Sunnybrook's team of experts in high-risk obstetrics, the rest of Stacey's pregnancy was normal and fraternal twins Chelsea and Aiden were born healthy and strong at 38 weeks.

Changing the Story

During Stacey's pregnancy, the Waughs learned that being pregnant with multiples is considered high risk. Research has shown that twin pregnancies are five times more likely to be complicated by preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction and other health issues. What's more, this area of research is not yet widely known, making it difficult for families to access the right care or the right information.

After Chelsea and Aiden were born, Steve and Stacey knew they had to do something to help.

Through the Waugh Family Foundation, Steve and Stacey established the Waugh Family Chair in Twin Fetal Medicine Research at Sunnybrook. Their $1 million investment will amplify Sunnybrook's research in this area, with the goal of making complications from multiple pregnancies a mostly preventable occurrence for all women and families across Ontario.

More Happy Endings

Something that resonated with Steve and Stacey was learning that there are no emergency high-risk obstetrical services for multiple births north of Barrie, where their family cottage is located. Steve and Stacey realized that twin fetal research was a much-needed area of support, and one where their contribution could have a big impact.

"If we weren't at Sunnybrook the day that Stacey needed surgery, our story could have ended much differently," says Steve. "We wanted to do something so that other parents understand the risks and can make the best decisions for their babies. There is so much that parents with twins simply aren't aware of. Not everyone can go to Sunnybrook and access amazing doctors, so we want people to know what to ask, what to look for and to be proactive."

Dr. Nir Melamed was appointed as the inaugural Waugh Family Chair in Twin Fetal Medicine at Sunnybrook in early 2019. Thanks to the Waugh family's vision, Sunnybrook will help more families with multiples have the best possible start to life.