Born on the cusp of survival, these twins are three, thriving and challenging assumptions about preemies

// custom header art window.tgam.meta.photo_desktop = ""; window.tgam.meta.photo_mobile = ""; window.tgam.meta.video = "https://www.theglobeandmail.com/files/editorial/News/nw-na-preemies-third-birthday-0312/6x7_preemie_twins.mp4"; window.tgam.meta.caption = ""; window.tgam.meta.credit = ""; // custom header layout parameters window.tgam.meta.headline_overlay = false; window.tgam.meta.headline_overlay_vertical_position = "top"; // top, centre, bottom window.tgam.meta.headline_overlay_horizontal_position = "left"; // left, centre, right window.tgam.meta.headline_overlay_gradient = true; window.tgam.meta.two_column = true; window.tgam.meta.swap_column = true; window.tgam.meta.full_width = true; window.tgam.meta.dark_background = false; window.tgam.meta.dark_background_colour = ""; window.tgam.meta.centre_headline = true; window.tgam.meta.large_headline = true; window.tgam.meta.sans_headline = false; window.tgam.meta.label_text_colour = ""; window.tgam.meta.label_box_colour = ""; window.tgam.meta.label_text_colour_overlay = "" ; window.tgam.meta.label_box_colour_overlay = ""; window.tgam.meta.audio_bar = false; // custom header display overrides (optional): window.tgam.meta.display_head = "In good time"; window.tgam.meta.display_deck = "Born on the cusp of survival, these twins are thriving on their third birthday – and challenging assumptions about preemies"; window.tgam.meta.label = ""; window.tgam.meta.byline = "kelly-grant/'>Kelly Grant Health Reporter"; window.tgam.meta.byline2 = "Photos and video by Melissa Tait"; window.tgam.meta.creditline = "The Globe and Mail"; When Shakina Rajendram’s twins were in the neonatal intensive care unit in March of 2022, she taped a handwritten poster to the wall of their room. “Adiah Laelynn & Adrial Luka,” she printed in pink marker across the top of the page, “You will … sing, play music, love God, love others, protect and defend others, speak, walk, eat, see, hear, laugh, love each other, think, create, testify of God’s miracles, do great things.”