Siamese twins' parents give up operation fight

LONDON - The parents of the Siamese twins Jodie and Mary have decided not to appeal against a court ruling that the two must be separated.

Lawyers acting for the parents, who oppose the operation, which will mean certain death for Mary, said the parents were "unable to take it any further."

The twins are joined at the abdomen. Mary will die because she shares a heart and lungs with her stronger sister.

The Official Solicitor acting on behalf of Mary said that after "the most anxious deliberation" he had also decided not to take the Court of Appeal's decision to the House of Lords.

In the first case of its kind, three senior judges ruled last week that Mary was "designated for death" and that Jodie, with the aid of doctors, had to defend herself against the sister who was "sucking her lifeblood."

The parents are devout Roman Catholics, from the island of Gozo, off Malta, which has a reciprocal health care arrangement with Britain. They sought help when a three-month scan revealed the mother was carrying Siamese twins, believing that both daughters could be saved.

The parents fought against any medical intervention once it was realised that Mary would have to die to save her sister. If the twins are not separated, doctors believe they have an 80 to 90 per cent chance of both being dead within six months.

But the parents' lawyer, John Kitchingman of Pannone & Partners, said on Thursday that the parents accepted the court's decision. "The parents, having taken this case to two courts before four judges, whose decision was unanimous, feel they have done the best they can for both daughters and are unable to take this any further.

"Clearly, there are difficult times ahead for the family and everyone is asked to respect their wish for privacy at what is a particularly tragic and sensitive time," he said.

If Jodie survives the complex separation operation, which is likely to be conducted when the twins are three months old, she will face many more painful reconstruction operations to enable her to begin living a normal life.

Bruno Quintavalle, of Pro-Life, said the parents should remove their children from Britain.

"We have sought legal advice and the parents are within their rights to remove their daughters from British jurisdiction to avoid the operation," he said.

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, Cormac Murphy O'Connor, who made a statement to the Appeal Court, arguing against separation, said:

"I can understand that the parents of Mary and Jodie feel unable to continue what has become an arduous and protracted legal process, and one which they did not initiate. My thoughts and prayers are with them and their two children at this difficult time."

- INDEPENDENT