‘As tough as it has been I’d do it again’

THE mother of Ireland’s little fighters has told how she believes their remarkable spirit will help them overcome their disability.

Angie Benhaffaf was speaking yesterday before her six-month-old boys, Hassan and Hussein, were accorded a civic reception in Cork’s City Hall.

The spirit they have shown since their birth last December will help them cope with having one leg each, she said.

“As tough as it has been I’d do it all again,” she said.

“The rewards are amazing. I know some people have pitied and sympathised with us because it has been the year from hell but there are no words.

“We just feel so proud as parents of what the boys have come through and what the girls have come through and we’ve been left with two little miracles.”

She told GMTV yesterday that she still has flashbacks to the intensive care unit in London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital where the boys underwent the 14-hour separation surgery in April.

But Mr Edward Kiely, the surgeon who led the team which separated the boys and who attended last night’s reception, said he is delighted with their progress.

“They have grown quite a bit since I last saw them. I am very encouraged. They couldn’t be doing better than they are doing. I’m very optimistic,” he said.

Asked if he has developed an emotional attachment to the boys, he said no. “They are not my children. They are my patients,” he said.

“What they need from me is not emotion. It’s expertise. Do I like them? Of course I like them. They’re gorgeous boys. But they are my patients.”

He said he will continue to be involved in their follow-up care, most of which can be done in Cork during his regular visits to his native city.

Fellow Corkman, consultant obstetrician, Dr Patrick O’Brien, who delivered the conjoined twins at University College Hospital in London, also attended the civic reception.

“It is so rewarding to see them now. It’s the whole reason I do this job,” he said.

“They have made a fantastic recovery and I’m sure they will go from strength to strength.”

The twins’ dad, Azzedine, said his boys are much more peaceful since the surgery.

“When they were conjoined before they used to fight and cry all the time,” he said.

“We didn’t really get sleep in the evening. Since they were separated they are really, really settled and quiet.

“It’s amazing to have them back home here. When we went for the surgery we never thought we would come back with two beautiful boys.

“They’re feeding really well and they are gaining weight.

Angie said she doesn’t believe their limb disability will pose an obstacle to them in the future.

“We found out not long before the birth that the boys had only the one leg each,” she said.

“We thought up until then that they had four limbs. It was an extra blow for us.

“At the time it broke our hearts and nobody knew of the limbs until recently. We had to accept it ourselves first and deal with it.

“Now that they are here, they are doing so, so well. I know with their fighting spirit the whole limb issue isn’t going to be big.”

* The family is to appear on the Saturday Night with Miriam show on RTÉ 1 at 9.30pm.