https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/press-releases/first-day-school-ruby-and-rosie/

First day at school for Ruby and Rosie

30 Aug 2016, 7:41 a.m.

Ruby and Rosie Fermosa

Conjoined twins who had complex separation surgery will reach a major milestone by starting school for the first time this September.

Twins Ruby and Rosie had complex separation surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), just a day after they were born conjoined in July 2012. Now four years old, the girls will join the thousands of children from across the UK who are going to school for the very first time this September.

The twins are looking forward to painting, drawing and playing in the playground but like other GOSH patients, milestones like this take on a particular significance for families.

The twins’ surgery is just part of the very special, transformative care given to children from across the UK. Joined by the intestine and the abdomen the twins were delivered by caesarean section and then transferred to GOSH for the planned surgery. After three weeks in hospital the twins returned home with their family and have gone on to fulfill lots of important milestones.

Mr Paolo De Coppi, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at GOSH said, “Over the last thirty years’ we have treated 27 sets of conjoined twins. The surgery is highly complex and requires teams from across the hospital to work together and combine a whole range of expertise. We’re thrilled that Rosie and Ruby are starting school this September. It’s always a joy to witness patients progress and to hear that they are reaching new milestones, this makes the job we do all the more rewarding.”

"I never thought that this day would come"

Ruby and Rosie’s mum Angela said, “In the beginning I never thought that this day would come, it’s amazing that they have come this far. They are such strong little girls and it’s wonderful to see them go to school and lead such normal lives.”

“They’re looking forward to painting, playing with friends and learning to read and write. They have been talking about it nonstop.”

GOSH is the leading centre in Europe for the care of conjoined twins. The first successful separation of conjoined twins at GOSH took place in 1985. Over the last three decades, over 27 sets of conjoined twins have been cared for at GOSH.

Contact Information

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Notes to Editors

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Trust is the country’s leading centre for treating sick children, with the widest range of specialists under one roof.

With the UCL Institute of Child Health, we are the largest centre for paediatric research outside the US and play a key role in training children’s health specialists for the future.

Our charity needs to raise £50 million every year to help rebuild and refurbish Great Ormond Street Hospital, buy vital equipment and fund pioneering research. With your help we provide world class care to our very ill children and their families.