The twins who share a body
3 Feb five's blog | Email this page | 11359 reads
Monday 19 February, 21.00–22.00 on FIVE
This fascinating documentary tells the remarkable story of Abby and Brittany Hensel, the world’s only known dicephalus conjoined twins. Although they are two completely separate people, these accomplished teens share a body and have just two arms and legs between them.
Born in 1990, the girls have been brought up in a small, tightly knit community in Minnesota, almost completely protected from prying eyes and inquisitive stares. To their friends and family, they are distinct people with very different personalities, needs, tastes and desires. But to the outside world they are a medical mystery – particularly given the fact that they can do virtually all the same things as their friends, including playing the piano, riding a bike, swimming and playing softball. “Their personalities make them inspirational,” says their mother Patty. “They never give up; anything they want to do, they go out and do it.”
The medical world is keen to find out how two separate brains and nervous systems can work in such a perfectly co-ordinated way, but the twins and their family have always resisted non-essential medical tests. “The family want to treat them as though they are just like everyone else,” says Joy Westerdahl, the girls’ doctor, who admits that it is a mystery how their unique physiology functions.
As they enter adulthood, the twins are likely to leave the haven of their home town and face the wider world. In preparation for that time, they have taken part in this intimate documentary to show the world what it is like to be joined for life. The programme follows them as they pass their driving test and celebrate their 16th birthdays.
We also join them on a big summer trip to Texas. Here, they stay with family friend Tamara Vogt, whose own conjoined twins died as babies. Tamara is full of admiration for the pair. “They’ve given me strength from within that I didn’t even know I had,” she says. But even under the watchful eye of Tamara, this so-called holiday entails significant stress for the girls. They face stares from the outset, and are upset when, at a Major League baseball game, a news cameraman turns his camera on them. They let him film them but it ruins their day. “We don’t mind when people ask questions or talk to us, but we hate it when people take pictures and try to videocamera us,” they explain. “And we will throw a fit about it, and make them embarrassed.”
Despite the girls’ strong characters, their baseball-game encounter is a stark reminder of what lies ahead of them. How will the wider world react to two separate people joined in one body? And how will this reaction affect the girls?
i just finished watching you both on tv. you are brilliant amazing and gorgeous girls. I take inspiration from you and i would be happy to be as upbeat and positive as you two are . have a wonderful long life love deirdre
8 Apr 08 at 12:05 am
you two r so strong keep it up and keeahotboyep liveing yo life 2 the fulst:~)
13 Feb 08 at 7:12 am
hi
me and my friends think you are both really amazing for being so strong .
Be happy and live life to the full your an inspiaration that your both not going to let anything stop you
X x X x
1 Feb 08 at 4:46 pm
Hello, I have just watched the program on TV in UK and I am amazed by the love and enthusiasm these two bright and happy young girls have for each other, I am sure whatever come their way they will take it on and win. I notice the medical people are amazed at their co-ordination, I don't know why as a grandma it seems quite normal that two twin girls who care a so much for each other are on the same mental wavelength. I wish them well for the future whatever they decide to become, and they have so many options.
22 Jan 08 at 12:24 am
I am watching a documentary on you two right now. You are amazing, wonderful girls. With your math, and the other ones good reading skills, you would make really good crime scene investigators, or lawyers, even. Physical therapists, possibly... heck you could do just about anything, I think.. as long as its something that works okay for the both of you.
Youre wonderfully different. Keep those chins up!!!! Happy Holidays, Abby and Brittany!!!
26 Nov 07 at 5:17 am
Hi just to say,
Me and my mate think you are both amazing! We think its so good that you can live a normal life and thah to live life to the full! We resect yu the way that you are strong no matter what!
Good luck for everything!
Nina and Charlotte
xxxx
26 Apr 07 at 12:05 pm
haha waaaay
god bless IT
26 Apr 07 at 11:54 am
Omg so like I'm in 8th grade and my history teacher taped the showing that they put on TLC and showed it to all her classes and when i saw it, i felt sorry for them. When they kept repeating, "If they will be considered one person or 2 people on this or that," i kept thinking, "thats gotta be really hard on them." Also, when they started talking about driving, my class started freaking out because we didn't know how that was going to happen! Then they showed how they did it and we were even amazed! We kept asking our teacher all these questions and she didn't even know the answers to them. To see these 2 girls, its amazing!
3 Apr 07 at 1:18 am
Omg so like I'm in 8th grade and my history teacher taped the showing that they put on TLC and showed it to all her classes and when i saw it, i felt sorry for them. When they kept repeating, "If they will be considered one person or 2 people on this or that," i kept thinking, "thats gotta be really hard on them." Also, when they started talking about driving, my class started freaking out because we didn't know how that was going to happen! Then they showed how they did it and we were even amazed! We kept asking our teacher all these questions and she didn't even know the answers to them. To see these 2 girls, its amazing!
3 Apr 07 at 1:18 am
Ive just watched a documentary here in the UK (Thats England
) about the twins and i have to say that they are truely exceptional. I cannot begin to image the challenges they have faced. I wish them all the luck in the world for their future. Like 'katie' I'd like to know where their life has taken them. If anyone has a email addy for them or if you are reading this girls Id like to hear from you.
16 Mar 07 at 8:54 pm
It's being repeated NOW!
15 Mar 07 at 11:43 pm
It's being repeated NOW!
15 Mar 07 at 11:42 pm
hi ya! hope yew two are ok at the mo and please if anyone knows about an e-mail address for the twins pease let me no on whitneysain@msn.com tnks
24 Feb 07 at 10:58 pm
plz repeat the show i missed it xxx
23 Feb 07 at 11:56 am
The girls have a Myspace page!
www.myspace.com/socialbutterfli_4evr
Write them a lovely message and you may get a reply!
N
x
21 Feb 07 at 1:35 am
i missed it and really wanted to see it is it repeated
20 Feb 07 at 11:01 pm
I have just watched the show on the twins, i was really amazed on how the two girls have coped with what the world has thrown at then, if there is any way of contacted the twins please let me know i would like to wish them well in the futre and hope them the very best as, things may only get harder for them because the world is a cruel place, to people who dont look like everyone else. i think of it as i may not have a very many things wrong with me but i am not very happy with the person that i am, but seeing those two girls they may not look like us so called normal people but they looked like they were the happiest people in the world who are comfortable with who they are, and that is the most amzaing thing i have heard of. this girls should be accepted by the world for who they are and that is two amzing young girls who have worked hard to get where they are today and in the futre because they have each other and their family and now many people in the uk who too will support them, in their life.
20 Feb 07 at 10:54 pm
I wish i could get in touch with them both great girls. they are very kind as i watched them on the tv (extrodinary people. i just wanted to watch it again and again. there story is amazing. if Abby and Brittney reading this please could you get in touch with me. god bless u.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
20 Feb 07 at 9:04 pm
Abby n Brittany seem like such amazing people! i dont no how people can judge them by the way they luk! They r so strong and individual n they should be treated that way...by everyone!! U 2 ROCK!!! XXXXXXXXX
20 Feb 07 at 8:37 pm
Hello, I was just wondering if there was any way i could get in touch with these two strong and amazing girls. My brothers were conjoined and died, i just want to say how inspirational and brave these two amazing girls are! I would just like to say to the girls, I respect and appreciate the way you look, you are two beautiful, mature, young women and you have a full life ahead of you, so whatever you want to do in life, keep strong and keep going!
-x-Katara-x-
P.S my email adress is: Kira_dinothunder@hotmail.co.uk
God Bless You Both
20 Feb 07 at 7:37 pm
hi i was wonderin if i could get in touch with the twins via msn if so could can u please pass my emil address to them thanks
elliot john smith
my msn is ej15smith@hotmail.co.uk
please pass my e-mail to the twins and i luv the way that they are so strong and live together as they are thanks again elliot xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
20 Feb 07 at 7:08 pm
does anyone know if this will be repeated i had a programme clash & it didnt record
20 Feb 07 at 6:08 pm
Well what can you say?!?!?! An absolutely amazing story of these two fantastically bright girls and there emotional/physical journey through adolescence. What struck me the most was just how special these girls were and how they differed. At first i was watching the program with the mentality that they were 1 person but come the end I could easily tell there behavioral traits and personality's apart.
I think those girls are so strong minded and brave, the way they dealt with people staring at them, and the way they said "we'd rather people asked us questions rather than take pictures"...... it showed such a level of maturity, well beyond there years! I would love to see how life pans out for these two but for now i would just like to applause there strength, maturity, and love for each other. Girls..... your an inspiration to all!!!!!
20 Feb 07 at 3:47 pm
Well what can you say?!?!?! An absolutely amazing story of these two fantastically bright girls and there emotional/physical journey through adolescence. What struck me the most was just how special these girls were and how they differed. At first i was watching the program with the mentality that they were 1 person but come the end I could easily tell there behavioral traits and personality's apart.
I think those girls are so strong minded and brave, the way they dealt with people staring at them, and the way they said "we'd rather people asked us questions rather than take pictures"...... it showed such a level of maturity, well beyond there years! I would love to see how life pans out for these two but for now i would just like to applause there strength, maturity, and love for each other. Girls..... your an inspiration to all!!!!!
20 Feb 07 at 3:45 pm
I was totally taken in by these two beautiful girls and think they are an inspiration to us all. They live life to the full and are totally happy with they way they are (not wanting to ever be seperated - and why would they). They make it work and are fully active in all that they do. They have an lovely family and lots of support from there community. I would love to hear more from them and see how well they are doing from time to time.
20 Feb 07 at 2:27 pm
I do not usually get effected or feel the need to make a comment on this kind of programme however These girls are an inspiration. If anyone knows when this programme was filmed and if it was a long time ago, i would love to know where their life has taken them.
20 Feb 07 at 2:00 pm
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