I knew my babies were joined at the tummy but I just saw 2 perfect girls
where they don’t have advanced medicine they probably wouldn’t be here.”
Like Ruby and Rosie, Safa and Marwa will be in and out of hospital, possibly for the rest of their lives. Angela says: “My advice to Zainab is to take each day as it comes and enjoy those precious moments. Every milestone is amazing.
“There were so many times I thought the day would never come – their first steps, their first day at school, our first holiday. I spend most of my time looking at them in amazement at how far they’ve come – how different it could have been if they could not have been separated.” When the twins were finally able to leave hospital almost three weeks after surgery, Angela knew they were happier together. She says: “They were together in one Moses basket.
“I wanted to keep them together – they were more content. They’re still like that. This morning I went to wake them and they were in Ruby’s bed together.”
On Friday, Ruby and Rosie turn seven. At the mention of their birthday, Angela and Daniel with the twins and GOSH surgeons Edward Kiely and Agostino Pierro the girls bound over. “We’ve already had our party,” says Ruby. “On my birthday I want to go to see Toy Story 4.” Angela is open with the twins about their start in life, asking: “You know you were born joined together, don’t you?” “Yeees!” Rosie says. “I said to my teacher, when we were learning about inspirational people, I said me and Ruby.” “Because we’re special!” Ruby interrupts. Out playing with their protective 11-year-old sister Lily, the twins always stay close, holding hands. Angela says: “When they were due to start school I told the head I didn’t want them separated because there was a point in their lives where you couldn’t physically separate them. “They have been through so much. They have a special bond.”