Rosie and Ruby Formosa, four-year-old twins who were born conjoined and with a slim chance of survival, are eagerly awaiting their first day of school. Their journey has been an incredible one, defying all odds.
Their Maltese father, Daniel Formosa, shared, “Before the twins were born, we weren’t even sure how far they’d get, but we soon learnt that they are fighters. Now here they are, getting ready to go to school.” The proud parents, Daniel and Angela, along with their nine-year-old daughter, Lily, are thrilled that Rosie and Ruby have not only survived but are thriving like any other children their age.
Rosie and Ruby were born joined at the abdomen, sharing part of their intestine, making headlines in the UK in 2012. They underwent a surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London the day after their birth. Despite the challenges they faced early on in their lives, the Formosa twins have grown into bright and energetic girls.
The twins’ mother discovered they were conjoined between 16 and 20 weeks into her pregnancy. They were delivered at University College Hospital at 34 weeks and immediately taken to Great Ormond Street for specialized treatment. Their journey has been closely followed by medical experts due to the rarity of conjoined twins, occurring only once in every 50,000 live births.
While the Formosa family is excited about the girls starting school, Mr. Formosa admits that saying goodbye to them in the mornings will be emotional. He shared, “The house is going to be very empty without the two of them running around all day.” However, the twins will be attending the same school as their older sister and will share a classroom, providing comfort and familiarity.
It’s essential to note that conjoined twins are rare, and Malta has had its share of such cases. In 2000, another set of conjoined twins, Gracie and Rosie, were born to Rina and Michaelangelo Attard. Although Rosie sadly passed away, Gracie has grown into a bright young lady at ten years old.
The start of school for Rosie and Ruby Formosa is a significant milestone, symbolizing their resilience and determination to overcome all odds. We join their family in wishing them a successful journey through their education.
