Formerly Conjoined Twins Finally Home After Celebrating First Birthday: 'So Grateful,' Mom Says

Mar. 15, 2025

A pair of formerly conjoined twins got to go home shortly after celebrating their first birthday in the hospital.

And on Tuesday, Oct. 8, they got to leave the hospital with siblings Kaylum and Anora and parents Tim and Shaneka to go to the family’s Philadelphia home.

“Seeing them each in their own beds was an indescribable feeling,” mom Shaneka said in a statement. “It feels like we are beginning a new journey as a family of six."

The parents learned that their boys were conjoined during a routine ultrasound, according to CHOP.

Within days, they’d already met with a team and they soon learned that separation would be possible for the boys, who shared the lowest part of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver.

“This set in motion the plan for preparing the boys’ first milestone: a safe birth," according to the hospital.

And on Sept. 29, 2023, the boys were born, collectively weighing about 6 lbs.

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After 10 months of planning, the eight-hour operation to separate Amari and Javar took place on Aug. 21. Once separated, the boys' abdomens were closed and rebuilt, using layers of mesh and plastic surgery techniques to stabilize each one.

Twins Amari and Javar Ruffin.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Twins Amari and Javar Ruffin shared part of their sternum, diaphragm, abdominal wall and liver.Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

After being separated, Amari and Javar continued working with physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and rehab medicine physicians “to ensure they continued to achieve developmental milestones.”

Some of the biggest highlights included learning to turn over and crawl.

When it was finally time to come home, the boy’s mom said the entire family is looking forward to being together at home.

She added, “We are so grateful to CHOP for helping make this day possible and letting us start this next chapter.”

source: people.com