A mother of conjoined twins who is travelling with her girls from Bhutan to Australia for a life-saving operation says she's come to grips with the heart-breaking reality she may lose one of her daughters – but surgeons are confident they can save both.
Bhumchu Zangmo and her 14-month-old daughters Nima and Dawa Pelden arrive in Melbourne today for the surgery and while Ms Zangmo says she’s “ecstatic” her family was getting help, she’s accepted she may lose one of her daughters.
"Even if the surgery takes away one twin, I will be very happy for the other living twin," she told the Herald Sun.
Nima and Dawa will undergo surgery at the Royal Children's Hospital where Children First Foundation chief executive Elizabeth Lodge says some of the country's best medical staff have assembled from various hospitals for the operation.
"A surgeon from the Monash Children’s Hospital referred the little girls to us and then his team have spoken to the Royal Children’s Hospital team who have determined that's the best place — with the expertise and the talents — to separate these little girls," Ms Lodge told Australian TV programme Sunrise.
However, one issue facing the assembled experts is they aren’t yet sure which organs the twins share.
"We're hoping (it's relatively easy to separate them). We'll know more once the girls arrive and the surgeons are able to conduct some tests."
The trip to Australia has been covered thanks to funds raised by the Foundation but Ms Lodge admits they still need approximately $350,000 for the surgery and post-operation care.
"The Royal Children’s Hospital have very kindly given us a humanitarian rate but we’ll still have to raise $250,000,” she says.
"Children First Foundation will look after the girls at our retreat in Kilmore for what could be six to 12 months and that will be an additional cost — maybe up to $100,000."
She hopes the Australian public will be willing to donate to the cause to ensure the girls get the care they need.
The bid comes nine years after the foundation and the hospital successfully separated Bangladeshi sisters Trishna and Krishna.
Ms Lodge says some of the same surgeons, anaesthetists and theatre staff who performed that surgery have returned for this operation.
"We’re very confident that the operation will be a complete success," Ms Lodge says.
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