Joined at the skull…but they’re just typical teens
Our weekly showcase of the wonderful world that is Truly. This issue, Jhomarie Magsino tells us why her teenage twins are saving for a very important op...
Brushing their hair and carefully applying makeup, twins Joy and Joyce Magsino giggle like typical teenage sisters. At 13, they are loving having a bit more independence.
Making TikTok and YouTube videos for their fans, like most other kids their age.
Being taught the latest dance moves by their big sister Fatima.
Whipping up a batch of pancakes with their mum.
Only, in other ways, Joy and Joyce are nothing like other children their age.
The girls are craniopagus conjoined twins – meaning they were born with their skulls fused together.
Their mum Jhomarie says, ‘Joy and Joyce are attached at the head and are conjoined twins.
‘Doctors said they’d only live for 10 years, but now they’re 13 years old.
‘I feel so happy they’ve surpassed their diagnosis and not fulfilled the doctors’ prognosis.’
In fact, the teenage twins are thriving against the odds.
Separating Joy and Joyce is a possibility. But it’s an incredibly risky op that would cost the family more than £50,000.
Jhomarie has now left their native Philippines to work abroad, in an attempt to save enough money to afford the surgery.
She says, ‘Whenever I look at photos of my twins, it reminds me of them being so little, and so difficult to look after – unlike today, when they can look after themselves. Now they can shower, feed themselves and also use TikTok.
‘My dream for them is that one day they can be separated and that’ll enable them to live well.’
The twins love to record videos for social media, and have seen their followers increase.
‘We would like to be famous on social media someday so that we can save up some money for our operation,’ says Joy.
‘Our heads are attached to one another and we’re not sure if we’ll ever be separated.
‘We’d like to be. We’d like to be able to move around easier and do things we can’t.’
But over the years, the girls have learnt to cope,
‘We are proud. We still manage to do most things’
and can still do most things their friends do.
‘Our situation is very hard because we’re attached to each other.
‘We are proud, even if our condition is like this. We still manage to do most things kids our age do. Like cooking and also dancing.
‘We’re happy because we get to inspire people with that we do, by doing things other kids do.’
● For more on Joy and Joyce, see TikTok @magsinotwins5