A set of conjoined Nigerian twins – Miracle and Testimony Ayeni – have been separated in a United States of America hospital after flying from Nigeria for the life-saving procedure days before their first birthday.
The girls, who turned one on Wednesday, underwent an 18-hour operation at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, on November 7 and 8.
They arrived in the US on June 28 with their parents, Samuel Olusegun Ayeni and Mary Abiodun Ayeni, their older sister, and their pastor after being offered free flights by Arik Air.
It was their only hope at separating the girls who were conjoined at the lower half of the body, after trying and failing to find a hospital in Nigeria that could carry out the operation.
Finally, after months of research, they were referred to Le Bonheur, whose surgeons offered to do the life-saving operation free of charge.
The separation of the Ayeni twins comes just weeks after twins from Illinois conjoined at the head were separated at New York City’s Montefiore Hospital.
The incredibly delicate operation to separate Jadon and Anias McDonald took 27 hours, and the lead surgeon has admitted he considered stopping halfway through.
However, both boys are now recovering and showing strong signs of development.
