Conjoined toddlers see each other face-to-face for the first time

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For nearly two years, twin sisters Hiyab and Wuhbto could hear each other and share nearly every moment of their young lives — but they could not look directly at one another.

That changed after doctors at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital in St. Louis successfully separated the two-year-old girls, who were born conjoined at the head.

Following the complicated surgery and months of recovery, the sisters were finally able to see each other's faces for the first time.

Born Conjoined at the Head

Hiyab and Wuhbto were born in Ethiopia with an extremely rare condition known as craniopagus, in which twins are joined at the head.

The girls faced each other in opposite directions and shared blood vessels in their skulls. Their condition is exceptionally rare, occurring in fewer than 6% of conjoined-twin cases and estimated at roughly one in 2.5 million live births.

For their family, finding a way to safely separate the sisters meant embarking on a complicated international medical journey.

A Global Effort

The twins traveled from Ethiopia to Missouri in 2025, shortly before their first birthday.

Their parents were unable to obtain visas to travel with them, so the girls came to the United States with a guardian while a network of medical professionals and organizations coordinated their care.

At Cardinal Glennon, a multidisciplinary team spent nearly a year preparing for the operation. More than 60 clinical team members ultimately participated in the girls' broader treatment and recovery.

A 25-Hour Operation

The separation surgery took place over Feb. 24 and 25 and lasted approximately 25 hours from preparation through the procedure and recovery.

Surgeons carefully separated the girls' shared blood vessels and addressed small areas where their brains were fused. The hospital described the operation as one of the most complex and rare pediatric procedures performed in the United States.

Dr. Joanna Kemp, who led the surgical team, said the girls' brains were mostly separate but that doctors had to carefully address the areas where they remained connected.

When the surgery was complete, the medical team experienced an emotional moment as the sisters were placed apart from one another for the first time.

Finally Seeing Each Other

For Hiyab and Wuhbto, the milestone was about more than simply completing a successful operation.

It meant experiencing something they had never been able to do: look directly at their sister's face.

After spending their first two years physically connected, the girls could finally begin discovering what it was like to interact as two separate children.

Their recovery has continued with additional procedures and intensive rehabilitation. Wuhbto recently underwent a successful cranioplasty to complete the repair of her skull, while Hiyab is expected to undergo a similar procedure later this fall.

Looking Toward Home

The sisters are currently receiving rehabilitation and ongoing medical care at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Missouri.

Their care team hopes that, once their medical treatment is complete, Hiyab and Wuhbto will be able to return home to their family in Ethiopia.

Their journey has involved an extraordinary number of people — from surgeons and nurses to rehabilitation specialists, international organizations and caregivers — all working toward the same goal.

Now, after years of preparation and a surgery lasting more than a full day, the sisters are beginning a new chapter.

Two girls who once could only hear each other are finally able to look into each other's eyes.

Source: CBS Mornings