Jodie and Mary recalled

How time flies! Ten years ago, at this time of the year, the Gozitan Siamese twins were born. It became the topic of the day with people discussing the case...was it best to separate, should they be left to die?

My late husband, Lino, got very involved. There were seminars organised to discuss the morality of separation. Many agreed with separation, others were not in favour because one was always destined to die if surgeons intervened to separate them.

So Lino wrote a book called Jodie & Mary, The Pros And Cons Of Separation. Unfortunately, it was launched a few weeks after Lino passed away, on November 30, 2005. Not enough publicity was given but anyone interested to review the case after 10 years can buy the book published by Progress Press. It only costs about €12. It makes very easy and interesting reading.

The child, now called Rosie, survived the long operation. Obviously the other twin died instantly; she had no chance of survival whether or not she was separate from her sister. The parents very wisely had another child, a girl, with no complications at all. I presume they are a happy family after the terrible ordeal.