Health Update: What Are Conjoined Twins Abby & Brittany Up to Today?

Born March 7th, 1990, America first came to know about conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel when they appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1996. People tuned in to see the marvel of these girls with two heads and one body (a condition known as dicephalic paragus), but they became charmed by the duo’s down-to-earth nature and positive attitude in the face of their difference. Their special case also garnered them a feature on the cover of Life magazine shortly after their first television appearance. The Hensel sisters then went on to be featured in a documentary called Joined for Life in 2002; a follow-up film in 2003 called Joined at Birth; a UK television special in 2005; and a reality show entitled Abby & Brittany that began airing on TLC in 2012. 

At birth, Abby and Brittany’s parents were told the conjoined twins would likely only live a few hours, but they defied the odds and have continued to do so. Since their original debut when they were children, people have been rooting for them and extolling their successes with each journalistic check-in over the years. Today, the girls are 28 years old, having graduated from college with degrees in education and earning their teaching certificates. The two intend to acquire jobs as elementary school teachers, preferably focusing on mathematics. Their condition is incredibly rare, and their survival rarer still, so we decided to take a look at these incredible sisters who refuse to let anything, least of all physical limitations, get in their way.

Photo: Facebook (Abigail and Brittany Hensel)