 |
Callie and Carter TorresAmerican conjoined twins
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Siamese Twins Kalli and Carter Torres: A Remarkable Journey of Survival and Hope
Kalli and Carter Torres, born on January 30, 2017, in Texas Children's Hospital, are American Siamese twins who share a connection like no other. These nine-month-old twins have common legs and shared organs below the navel. Their birth brought numerous challenges for their parents, 23-year-old Chelsea and 22-year-old Nick. Finding essential items for their unique babies, from clothes to toys and car seats, proved to be quite a struggle. However, the Utah Center for Assistive Technology (UCAT) came to the rescue by designing specially customized walkers for the conjoined girls, allowing them to gradually stand and learn to move.
A Difficult Journey from Conception to Birth
Chelsea and Nick, originally from Idaho, were in shock when they discovered, through an ultrasound, that they were expecting Siamese twins. To their dismay, one doctor even mentioned the possibility of abortion. However, the couple, who also had a three-year-old son named Jason, refused to consider such an option. Chelsea tearfully expressed her refusal, saying, "I couldn't think about going through with that. I cried for three days after they offered me that option."
Against all odds, Kalli and Carter proved to be fighters. Although connected in the abdominal region, they successfully entered the world. According to the University of Maryland, approximately 40-60% of Siamese twins are stillborn, and only a little over one-third survive their first 24 hours. Kalli and Carter, with their omphalo-ischiopagus condition, fall into the less than 5% of all types of Siamese twins. This rare connection type means that they share two legs and one pelvis, but have separate torsos facing each other.
Hope for the Future
While complications could arise due to their shared pelvis, surgeons are confident that separation is possible. In cases where bones need to be removed for various medical reasons, such as the risk of bone cancer, prosthetics are often used as replacements. Kalli and Carter could potentially receive prosthetic lower limbs. However, it is too early to consider separation surgery. That being said, the Torres family has accepted their daughters' condition and remains optimistic about the future.
The family relocated to Idaho to provide the proper medical care for their daughters, as Texas Children's Hospital employs some of the leading doctors and medical experts in the field of Siamese twins. They have also started a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to cover the expenses of transforming their home to meet the needs of Kalli and Carter. The birth of twins with shared skin and internal organs is extremely rare. According to some data, Siamese twins occur in only one out of 200,000 births, and 40-60% of them are stillborn. The overall survival rate for Siamese twins ranges from 5% to 25%. It is unknown why conjoined sisters have a higher chance of survival compared to conjoined brothers.
The most famous Siamese twins, Chang and Eng Bunker, born in 1811 in Siam (now Thailand), were also conjoined siblings. Their extraordinary story paved the way for the understanding and exploration of the unique lives of Siamese twins. Similarly, Kalli and Carter Torres are writing their own remarkable chapter, inspiring hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
