Parents enjoy first cuddles with ‘little fighters’ as twins leave intensive care

MIRACLE twins Hassan and Hussein Benhaffaf have left intensive care and have been cuddled by their parents for the first time since their separation operation.

The five-month-olds, from Carrigtwohill in east Cork, who were born last December joined at the chest, were also placed in the same cot together for the first time since the 14-hour separation procedure was performed at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) last month.

In a medical update issued by GOSH yesterday, a spokesperson said the boys are being cared for in a surgical ward, are breathing unaided and are being bottle fed.

“Doctors at the hospital continue to be pleased by their progress and recovery,” the spokesperson said afterwards.

But she warned that while the boys are out of intensive care, there is still a long recovery period ahead.

The boys’ parents, Angie and Azzedine, said their “little fighters have lived up to their name”.

“We are happy to announce that Hassan and Hussein have left the intensive care unit and are doing well,” they said.

“We’ve enjoyed our first cuddles since their separation and they were worth the long wait.”

The update came ahead of tonight’s screening of a TV documentary on the babies’ journey over the last three months.

ITV’s flagship Tonight programme, Separate Lives: The Cork Conjoined Twins Story, which will be screened on TV3 at 7.30pm, will feature Angie and Azzedine speaking about the joy at their birth, and their heartbreaking decision to go ahead with the separation surgery.

Meanwhile, fundraising for the Little Fighters’ Fund continues.

Patricia O’Neill is organising a Maytime Magic Music and Fashion event in Bunnyconnellan’s pub near Myrtleville, Cork, at 11am on Wednesday, May 12.

*The Little Fighters Fund: Permanent TSB, St Patrick’s Street, Cork; sort code: 99-07-03; A/C: 16556196