‘The first day I held them in my arms, I knew I was chosen’

MEET Ireland’s “two little fighters” described by their mum as a “gift”.

Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf were the picture of contentment yesterday as they prepared to leave hospital for home in east Cork.

The seven-week-old boys, who were born in University College Hospital London joined at the chest, cradled each other and slept soundly as parents, Angie and Azzedine, and big sisters, Malika, 4, and Iman, 2, posed for photographs at Cork University Maternity Hospital.

Angie, from Cork, and Algerian-born Azzedine spoke of their joy and pride for their newborns and appealed for privacy from now on.

Angie said her world was “turned upside down” when she learned she was carrying conjoined twins.

“I went through the pregnancy thinking it was awful, and why me,” she said.

“But the first day I held them in my arms, I knew I was chosen. They are a gift.

“It was never expected they would live and do as well as they are – hence the name, ‘the little fighters’.

“They fought their way to be here, please God they will come through the operation fighting. I have to remain positive. They fought through the birth and are getting stronger day-by-day.”

She stressed the family’s need for privacy over the coming months.

“Our time with them between now and separation is very precious to us. We don’t know what will happen,” she said.

“We hope that after the operation, they will be two healthy individuals that will live long healthy lives.

“Our wish is that two babies will survive but it’s in God’s hands. So each day, each minute with them is precious.”

Dad Azzedine said he is immensely proud of his two little boys.

“They are so handsome as they are. I am thrilled to bring them home and am very proud of my little boys,” he said.

The couple said each of the boys has his own personality and is like any other newborn – needing nappy changes, making mischief, and feeding well.

They also praised all the doctors and nurses who have lavished care on the boys since their birth.

Consultant paediatric surgeon at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Cork-born Edward Kiely has said it is hoped to separate the twins later this year.

“The surgical team here is the most experienced in Europe at assessing and, if necessary, separating conjoined twins,” he said.

The survival rate at Great Ormond Street Hospital for planned separations where the children are stable and separation can be done at a suitable time is 80% and under these circumstances both usually survive and have a good quality of life.

Great Ormond Street Hospital’s teams have dealt with 21 separations and nine inoperable cases to date.