Parents of conjoined twins Ruby and Rose are having a few sleepless nights but are “over the moon” to finally have them home.
Daniel Formosa yesterday expressed joy that Ruby and Rosie, born conjoined 12 weeks ago, are making great strides after a successful operation to separate them a day after being born.
“They are doing really well, thank God,” said 34-year-old Daniel, whose parents are Maltese.
Speaking from their home in Bexleyheath, Kent, Daniel and his wife Angela said they were elated that the identical twins were “normal bubbly babies who cry or smiled if they want something”.
Their five-year-old sister, Lily, loves them to bits. “She loves being a big sister and is very caring,” said Daniel, whose family is in Malta.
The news about the twins hit the headlines in the UK yesterday. Ruby and Rosie, who were born joined at the abdomen and share part of the intestine, were operated upon at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), in London, on July 27, the day after they were born.
Angela found out that the twins were joined when she was between 16 and 20 weeks pregnant. “I didn’t know what to think. I was shocked and sad. We didn’t know what to expect until they were born.”
The twins were delivered at University College Hospital at 34 weeks. Within a couple of hours they were taken to GOSH, one of the most experienced centres in the world for the treatment of conjoined twins.
They were operated upon by a team of specialists led by paediatric surgeon Agostino Pierro who explained that the twins were joined at the abdomen at the level of the umbiliscus and shared part of the intestine.
“The operation to separate the twins had to be performed as an emergency because of an intestinal blockage,” Prof. Pierro said, adding that they would need further treatment in the future but “we expect that they will both be able to lead happy and normal lives”.
In fact, the twins, who were discharged from hospital eight weeks ago, are settling in at their new home.
“We do get sleepless nights, especially Angie, but we’re thankful,” said Daniel, whose work as a taxi driver in London keeps him away most nights.
“It’s great for us all to be together and we’re looking forward to coming to Malta so my grandmother – the twins’ great grandmother – can finally see and hold them,” he added.
Connie Formosa and other relatives in Malta have only seen the twins in photos or “when we manage to get through on Skype”.
The incidence of conjoined twins is very rare, happening only once every 50,000 live births but Malta is no stranger to the phenomenon.
Another set of Siamese twins – Jodie and Mary (their real names Gracie and Rosie respectively) – was born to Rina and Michaelangelo Attard of Xagħra on August 8, 2000.
The twins were fused at the spine and abdomen. Jodie had normal vital organs while Mary was entirely dependent on Jodie’s heart. In fact, controversy raged at the time over the operation to eparate them.
London’s High Court ruled that doctors could separate the twins to give Jodie a chance at life but the parents appealed against the decision. In September 2000, the Court of Appeal eventually ruled for the operation to happen and the parents accepted the decision.
On November 6, 2000, a 20-strong medical team spend 15 hours operating on the twins. Mary died a 12.10am the next day and was buried in an emotional funeral service in her hometown on January 19, 2001.
Two years ago, on the 10th anniversary, The Times reported that Gracie had become a bright 10-year-old young lady growing up.
Malta had a rate that is two to three times higher than the rest of Europe. While Europe has a rate of 1.6 per 100,000 cases, Malta’s incidence is four per 100,000, a phenomenon which, it has been suggested, is likely fuelled by the islands’ smaller gene pool.
Angela Formosa with her twins Ruby and Rosie