MNN - Mother Nature Network

Conjoined twins Angelica (left) and Angelina Sabuco (right) are watched by their mother Ginady (far left) and child life specialist Allison Brooks during a press conference on Oct. 31, one day before their separation surgery at the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto, Calif.

 

The 2-year-old conjoined twins were born in 2009 connected at the chest and abdomen. CT scans showed that their sternums were fused together and they shared a liver, but all other internal organs functioned separately. Experiencing struggles in walking and facing an uncertain future involving skeletal and muscular disabilities, the twins underwent a 10-hour surgery on Nov. 1 led by Dr. Gary Hartman.

 

Angelina and Angelica hold hands in a grassy field six months after their separation surgery at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Now experiencing life apart, the twins are undergoing physical and occupational therapy to strengthen their motor skills.

 

"They love to run around, go out, and play with other children now," said mother Ginady Sabuco. The twins are also looking forward to celebrating their third birthday later this summer — their first since the separation.