Separating conjoined twins Safa and Marwa

Great Ormond Street Hospital is internationally renowned for being one of only a few hospitals in the world to have the infrastructure, facilities and team of experts to take on one of medicine’s most challenging conditions – separating twins who are conjoined.GOSH has successfully treated more conjoined twins than any other hospital in the world, with the infrastructure and knowledge to give these twins the best chance of survival and recovery.

Meet Safa and Marwa

The twins were born in January 2017, conjoined at the head – known as ‘craniopagus’ twins. The family did not know that it was a twin pregnancy, so they were a bit of a surprise when they arrived!

After consultation with their doctors in Pakistan, Great Ormond Street Hospital welcomed them to Bumblebee Ward in autumn 2018 and set about a four month four-stage separation process involving multiple specialities across the hospital – from craniofacial, neurology and psychology experts, to nurses, radiologists and physiotherapists.

To understand how the GOSH team helped Safa and Marwa begin independent lives, watch our animation explaining the process step-by-step.

After a period of recuperation and intensive physiotherapy at GOSH, the twins left hospital in July 2019 and are now recovering well at home with their family. Despite the many challenges ahead, the team at the hospital are hopeful that they will both live happy and active lives.

Meet the clinicians involved in Safa and Marwa’s treatment.

You can read more about the twin’s story in this special BBC report.