Conjoined twins Abby and Erin Delaney, who had only a 2% chance of survival at birth, recently reached an impressive milestone: both have graduated from kindergarten.

Born prematurely at 30 weeks on July 24, 2016, they faced a very complex medical situation from the start.

Their mother discovered at 11 weeks of pregnancy that her daughters were craniopagus, joined at the skull. This rare condition made the twins extremely vulnerable to serious complications.

The girls shared a skull, skin, and a vital blood vessel, the “superior sagittal sinus,” which drains blood from the brain. On June 6, 2017, they underwent an 11-hour separation surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Although the operation carried many risks, it was a success. After the surgery, Abby and Erin spent five months in the hospital recovering.

Today, despite slower progress than their peers, they have successfully graduated from kindergarten, a testament to their courage and that of their parents.

The parents, Heather and Ryley Delaney, were deeply shocked when they learned early in the pregnancy that their twins were joined at the head.

Heather recalls: “It was an enormous shock. We never imagined this could actually happen.

” At birth, doctors gave them barely a 2% chance of survival. Hope arose when they discovered that a rare surgical procedure could offer a chance at separation.

After 11 hours of intense surgery, they spent several months in the hospital recovering.

Weighing about 2.7 kg at birth, the twins were immediately placed in neonatal intensive care before being operated on in June 2017.

Today Erin has been walking since age 5, while Abby is just beginning to learn to walk. Both girls attend adapted classes in a traditional school and make progress every day.

Erin received a “Dolphin Award” for her “adventurous heart,” while Abby won a “Deer Award” for her kindness. Their mother, Heather, concludes: “The sky is their limit.”