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Wonder Twin Powers, Activate!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

A twin's love "cures" her sister's cancer.

twinpower.jpg

Twins are special people, right out the "gate" they have a tight connection to the person they shared the world's most cramped living quarters with, and that closeness often continues throughout the their lives.

They might even have the power to heal.

When 3-year-old Lily Slater was being treated for a cancerous brain tumor, her parents were advised to have Lily's twin sister, Willow, by her side. "They told us to bring her in to the hospital to be with Lily-- that it was the best medicine that she could ask for," said their mom, Shirley Lydon. Willow was present as at all times during Lily's treatments and slept in a camping bed in her hospital room every night.

The "prescription" seems to have worked, and Lily's cancer is now in remission. "The story doesn't surprise me at all," says friend of momlogic associate professor of family medicine, Dr. Rachel Franklin, author of Expecting Twins, Triplets and More: a Doctor's Guide to a Happy and Healthy Multiple Pregnancy.

"We have evidence in the medical literature about the power of twins to help one another during times of medical illness," she says. "Studies show newborn twins allowed to sleep together, where they could touch and see each other, had fewer temperature fluctuations, ate better, gained more weight and had less respiratory distress. They were discharged from the hospital earlier than twins given routine care."

In fact, says Franklin, the strong bond of twins has "resulted in more hospitals encouraging "co-sleeping" of multiples in the past few years and is likely what motivated the doctors in this case."

Does twin power go beyond the power to heal? Some people think so, and many a twin has claimed to have the ability to communicate telepathically with his or her sibling. However, no study has ever uncovered proof that twins can actually share their thoughts without speaking.

Click on an image to view the "Famous Twin Gallery!"
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3 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

 
My twins both had to have stomach surgery when they were 4 weeks old. The second twin to get his wasn’t recovering well at all, we almost lost him. I was told to bring his brother in and he started recovering faster.
- Amber
Posted 06/24/08 04:29 PM
 
What a sweet story!
- Stefani
Posted 06/24/08 10:07 PM
 
I believe all that’s true about twins. My twins have both been diagnosed with epilepsy. They actually seem better since the younger one was diagnosed. It’s brought them closer together. They don’t fight nearly as bad and they’re 14 and girls!!
- Connie
Posted 08/28/08 07:30 PM
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