HEARTBREAK TO JOY
My twin baby boys died & I was left fighting for life – now I’ve won £400k in lottery… I’m giving back in their memory
Rachel's stepfather Mike also had both his legs amputated in another cruel blow
A MUM who lost her two baby boys before fighting for her life has scooped £400k on the lottery.
Rachel Lee, 33, took home the whopping jackpot from the People's Postcode Lottery six years after the death of her twin boys and wants to give back in their memory.
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Rachel and husband John, 37, broke down in tears after she won the largest share of a £1 million jackpot on the lotto.
Heartbroken Rachel has now vowed to help other ill children by becoming a paediatric nurse after suffering the loss of her beloved children.
She said: "This just doesn't happen to us. We're used to picking up the phone to bad news."
Rachel won more than £405,000 when her postcode in Dukinfield, Manchester, was announced as the winner on Saturday.
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The couple lost their twin sons - who they named Reggie and Ronnie - during childbirth in 2018 and Ms Lee's life was also in danger after she contracted sepsis.
She said: "They sacrificed themselves for me. It's heartbreaking that it happened, but in a way, I'm here to keep them alive.
"We got told that if I hadn't given birth when I did, I would have had 24 hours to live and would have died as well."
Rachel, who works as an NHS children's complex needs support worker, said the winnings will allow her to pursue a job as a paediatric nurse.
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She said: "I worked in a nursery for 13 years as an assistant manager and I'd had enough.
"I wanted to give back and do something with my career after everything I've been through.
"When I got the job with the NHS, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I want to be a paediatric nurse and I want to look after poorly children.
"I can now do a Master's nursing degree and make it happen."
Her husband, who works for a fire alarm company, said: "It has a lot to do with losing our twin boys and she's always wanted to give something back. To work with kids like that and families like that.
"It's taken a bit of time because it was still so close and tender. But just to see the change in Rachel since she's worked there and been doing that.
"She's a lot happier and now she can go and fulfil that properly."
Rachel also plans to buy a Life for a Life tree for her beloved twins.
She said: "We want to get a tree for life planted at Dove Stone Reservoir (a memorial forest near Oldham). We've always wanted to do it but they're expensive."
To further add to their woes, Rachel's stepfather Mike had both his legs amputated after medical complications which has left him needing 24-hour care, and she now plans on buying him a mobility car.
Rachel said: "It's been an awful time. He can't have prosthetic legs because of his age and his weight loss.
"He was 17 stone when he went into hospital and now he's under 10 stone."
The couple are also looking at buying a new house and taking a long-awaited honeymoon.
How does the People's Postcode Lottery work?
ACCORDING to the official website, players sign up with their postcode and pay £12 per month.
They are automatically entered into every draw and prizes are announced every day of the month.
Tickets play for prizes every day of the week - from Monday to Sunday, a ticket could win £1,000 each day in the Daily Prize.
Tickets ould also win a jackpot of £30,000 in Saturday and Sunday's Street Prize draws.
People's Postcode Lottery also offer a £3 Million Postcode Millions draw each month - and your ticket plays for a share of a £3 Million cash prize fund.
Winners are notified by email, SMS message, mail or phonecall depending on the prize they win.
Jackpot winners are visited by the lottery team in person.
As Rachel won the maximum ticket prize and was the only player in the winning postcode, the remaining prize money totalling over £594,000 was shared between players in the postcode sector.
More than 1,280 players won cash sums ranging from £419 to £1,257.
Meanwhile, Home-Start HOST has been awarded £75,000 by the Postcode Community Trust.
The People's Postcode Lottery costs £12 a month to play and there are guaranteed winners every day.
People play with their chosen postcode and are automatically entered into all draws.
When that postcode is drawn, people holding the right tickets inside it win.
A minimum of 33 per cent from each ticket goes to charity.
It comes after a pensioner who won £200,000 on the People's Postcode lottery revealed his first buy will be controversial but something he has always wanted.
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Meanwhile, neighbours who won £180,000 on the People's Postcode Lottery were told their wish list was boring.
And a couple who won £60,000 on the People's Postcode Lottery recently revealed how they were able to double their winnings.
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