Meet Chaz and Steph: The Bolton Twins Spreading Kindness, Inclusion and Positivity
By Ellise Hollie Hayward, Disabilities Correspondent
Chaz and Steph are 33-year-old twins from Bolton. They are extremely close and spend most of their time together.
They describe their relationship as being like best friends and sisters. They laugh, argue and support each other, just like any other siblings.
Chaz has been Steph’s personal assistant for almost six years and loves supporting her.
She is also married to a very supportive husband and is a mum to two beautiful girls. Both sisters are independent, funny and strong, with Steph being particularly strong-minded and cheeky.
Steph was born with Down’s syndrome and a congenital heart condition. She had open-heart surgery at just three months old. During the operation, she suffered a cardiac arrest, which left her with an undiagnosed neurological condition similar to cerebral palsy.
Steph needs 24-hour support and has difficulties with speaking and physical activities. This means everyday life can sometimes require extra planning, patience and understanding.
However, Steph has a happy life and a strong support network around her. Her family are determined to help her enjoy life to the fullest.
The twins share a great sense of humour and love making each other laugh. They have spent their lives creating happy memories, having fun and supporting one another. They also feel that humour has helped them cope with some of the more difficult moments they have faced.
One of the biggest things they want people to understand is that Steph is a person just like everyone else. They don’t want people to feel sorry for her or be afraid of saying the wrong thing. Instead, they want people to treat her normally, with kindness, patience and understanding.
Their message to the world is all about kindness, inclusion and positivity.
They want people to see beyond disability, include everyone and understand that disabled people should have the same opportunities to enjoy life, have fun and be themselves.
You can follow Chaz and Steph on TikTok at @thevincenttwins.
