In the summer of 2020, Maggie and Dom Altobelli were thrilled to learn they were expecting twins. But their joy quickly turned to anxiety when the babies turned out to be conjoined.
The future girls shared vital organs between them, a rare condition known as thoraco-omphalopagus.
When Addison and Lilianna were born on November 18, 2020, the family was already under the care of specialists at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the few in the United States willing to take on such a complex case.
The Altobellis moved to another city to be closer to the medical team and provide the girls with the best care.
The twins spent nearly a year in intensive care, their bodies joined at the chest and abdomen, sharing a liver, diaphragm, rib cage and abdominal wall.
Doctors carefully prepared for the separation operation – it was an incredibly complex matter, and a mistake could cost the lives of two children at once.
Exactly one year after birth, doctors performed a unique operation. It lasted many hours and ended successfully. Eddie and Lily got a chance for a separate, independent life.
After the surgery, both girls remained under observation and had tracheostomy tubes installed to help with breathing. But doctors are confident that with time, breathing will normalize and the need for the tubes will disappear.
Despite their experiences, the babies quickly adapted to life alone. Eddie and Lily surprised everyone with their speed – soon after separation, they began to crawl, and a few months later they took their first steps.
Now, almost four years after the operation, Eddie and Lily are active, cheerful and incredibly charming girls.
Their path was not easy, but thanks to the love of their family, the dedication of their doctors and their own strength of spirit, they overcame what seemed impossible.