Conjoined twins Abby and Erin Delaney, who were given only a 2% chance of survival at birth, recently reached an impressive milestone: both successfully graduated from kindergarten.
Born prematurely at 30 weeks on July 24, 2016, they faced a very challenging medical situation from the start.
The mother learned at 11 weeks of pregnancy that her daughters were craniopagus—fused skulls. This rare condition made the twins extremely vulnerable to serious complications.
The girls shared their skull, skin, and a vital blood vessel, the superior sagittal sinus, which drains blood from the brain. On June 6, 2017, they underwent an 11-hour separation surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Despite numerous risks, the surgery was successful. Following the procedure, Abby and Erin spent five months in the hospital recovering.
Today, despite their slower development than their peers, they were able to earn a kindergarten diploma—a testament to their courage and the courage of their parents.
Parents Heather and Riley Delaney were devastated when they discovered early in their pregnancy that their twins were joined at the head.
Heather recalls: “It was a huge shock. We never imagined that something like this could actually happen.”
At birth, doctors gave them only a 2% chance of survival. Hope came when they learned that a rare surgery could offer a chance for separation.
Weighing approximately 2.7 kg at birth, the girls were immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit before undergoing surgery in June 2017.
After 11 hours of complex surgery, they spent several months in hospital recovering.
Today, Erin has been walking since she was five, and Abby is just beginning to learn to walk. Both girls attend adapted classes at a regular school and are making progress daily.
They recently achieved a goal many thought impossible: advancing from kindergarten.
Erin won the Dolphin Award for her “adventurous heart,” and Abby won the Stag Award for her kindness. Their mother, Heather, concludes, “The sky’s the limit.”
