A Gathering of Twins

THEY came from far and near, from various age groups and different backgrounds. It was the first time that persons born through multiple births (twins, triplets etc..) gathered for an event of this nature.

The assembly took place at the Gros Islet Secondary School Auditorium last Saturday where nearly 100 persons met to discuss matters pertinent to the lives of twins and other persons who shared the same space in their mother’s womb at the same time. The assembly was held in collaboration with the St. Lucia Martinique Association.

Martinique already has a grouping catering to persons of multiple birth and the intention is to get a similar organization going in St Lucia. Last Saturday’s gathering here was on the initiative of St Lucia’s Consul in Martinique Yasmine Walcott.

A doctor who accompanied some sets of twins from Martinique delivered a very animated presentation on the physiology and social habits of persons born through multiple births..

Ms Walcott said she was overjoyed at the experience having attended a similar function in Martinique. She said:

“This is something that I realise that there is a demand for. The St. Lucian public, the twin community have been yearning for something like this so I grabbed at the occasion after Mr. Max Moreau who established his own association in Martinique “Les Enseparables” (The Inseparables) thought it would be nice to do the same thing in St. Lucia. I jumped at the opportunity and it was really an exciting moment. I think people are excited, people are looking forward to the next step. I know this is going to reach the twins across the island, the parents of twins and multiple births. So this is something that’s budding and I think it can become a really beautiful project.”

Elda Morris is a parent of twins. She is very excited about the twins project and sees it as an avenue for social support and networking. She said:

“ It’s very interesting having a twin, boy and girl, they’re so similar but yet they’re so different in their own way; their personalities ,their interests, and that makes it so interesting but I have a very positive network in raising them. Mom, their dad, my aunt, my friends all provide very valuable support . The questions they ask and even their own interactions make it so interesting and joyful.”

“Joyful indeed” , according to twin set Alvin and Kevin Alexander from Grace, Vieux Fort who have an exceptionally strong bonding.

“The two of us together, it makes us elevate ourselves better than if we were single. And a lot of people are really proud of us for that. While we were growing up as twins, we never forgot anything. That is why we always engaged each other in history and we discuss with each other what we have gone through.”