Family of conjoined twins ready for surgery to separate them despite risk of death

Children joined to each other at birth face a life filled with struggles and health complications in years to come. But while medical practitioners have been able to help conjoined twins, there always exists a risk to their lives in such procedures.

In a complicated case from Philippines, a family seems so determined to separate conjoined twins that they are ready to risk the lives of their children. Joy and Joyce Magsino were born connected at the forehead and have been living like that for 10 years now.

Although a local charity had earlier been willing to fund the operation, it withdrew after doctors said it poses a risk of death for the girls. Although the family can’t afford the surgery by themselves, the parents are desperate as the mother even travelled to earn and save up for the risky procedure.

Doctors say that the girls are connected at one nerve and it must be connected again within seconds or else it will result in death. The father says that while the girls have developed a sense of understanding they still fight over their preferred activities and it’s difficult to control them as they want to be separated.