Missouri hospitals help twin sisters begin new chapter following rare separation surgery
SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital and Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital
St. Louis and Maryland Heights, Mo.
A multidisciplinary team at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital in St. Louis successfully separated 2-year-old twin sisters Hiyab and Wuhbto, who were born conjoined at the head, during a complex operation that lasted more than 24 hours in February 2026. According to ABCnews.com, hospital officials announced that the sisters are now recovering more than six months after the procedure, which involved specialists from multiple medical disciplines working together to perform the highly complex cranial separation surgery.
The twins traveled from Ethiopia to the United States in March 2025 to prepare for the surgery. According to hospital leaders, the procedure has opened opportunities that would not have been possible while the girls were conjoined. Joanna Kemp, M.D., the hospital’s lead neurological surgeon, said it remains too early to predict the twins’ long-term development but noted that the surgery has created new possibilities for their growth and independence.
Following surgery, the sisters began rehabilitation at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital in Maryland Heights, Mo., where they are receiving intensive therapies focused on mobility, communication and daily living skills. Hospital officials said the girls can now participate in individualized therapy programs and are learning activities such as sitting upright, eating, speaking, socializing and eventually standing and walking. The effort was part of a broader collaboration that included both Missouri hospitals and several international nonprofit and community partners.