Saved Gozitan Siamese twin healthy and 'bright' at 10

Gracie Attard of Xaghra has been deemed by retired paediatric surgeon Adrian Bianchi as a “bright, young lady” who loves playing and running like other children her age. Bianchi had played a key role in separating the girls, who were fused at the lower end of their spines and abdomen; each girl having two arms and two legs and a common trunk.

The operation was surrounded by controversy when it emerged 10 years ago, as it meant that inevitably one of the twins, the weaker one which happened to be Mary (Rosie), had to die. The twins were born on August 8 2000, to parents Rina and Michelangelo Attard at St Mary’s hospital in Manchester.

Bianchi believes the decision was the right one, amid worldwide controversy which erupted when an English court decided surgeons at St Mary’s Hospital should separate the twins.

“I am absolutely sure in my own mind that what we did was what I would have done for my own child in those circumstances,” he said.

The 15-hour operation had resulted in the severing of a blood vessel which was a lifeline for Mary, and 10 minutes after the procedure on November 7, 2000. Jodie (Gracie), had normal functioning vital organs- brain, heart, lungs, kidneys and liver- while Mary (Rosie) was entirely dependent on Jodie’s heart for blood circulation.

“We knew from our studies there was a very great likelihood that Gracie (Jodie) would survive because she was in good condition but Mary (Rosie) would not. Morally and ethically we felt it inappropriate to allow two children to die, when one could survive,” Bianchi said.

Bianchi had spent another six hours after the separation reconstructing Jodie’s pelvic organs and relocating her legs and hips that had been at right angles to her body.

“I am absolutely confident we can give her a good quality of life, not a normal life, because there are concerns, but we knew of these beforehand and these were part of the assessment,” Bianchi said.