Conjoined twins separated after 7-hour surgery: where Anna and Hope are today
Texas Children’s Hospital doctors successfully separated the twins in 2018, and today they’re living healthy, happy lives
Anna Grace and Hope Elizabeth Richards, who were born conjoined in 2016 and underwent a complex separation surgery in Houston, are now thriving and enjoying life at home.
Anna and Hope were born on December 29, 2016, at 35 weeks via Caesarean section after doctors discovered during a routine ultrasound that the twins were conjoined. They shared a liver, diaphragm, and part of their heart — making their case especially challenging.
Before their separation, the girls spent more than a year in the hospital. In November 2017, doctors inserted tissue expanders to help their skin grow and stretch, preparing them for the major surgery ahead.
The surgery that changed everything
On January 13, 2018, a medical team of nearly 75 specialists — including surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and nurses — carried out a seven-hour procedure at Texas Children’s Hospital.
Their mother, Jill Richards, described the moment afterward:
“It’s an indescribable feeling to look at our girls in two separate beds. We couldn’t be more thankful to the entire team at Texas Children’s for making this dream come true.”
Dr. Larry Hollier, surgeon-in-chief at Texas Children’s, said the successful outcome was the result of months of planning, simulations, and collaboration across multiple specialties.
Life after separation
After spending the first year and a half of their lives in the hospital, Anna and Hope were finally able to go home. Today, their family says the girls are doing well, and the long surgeries and hospital stays are firmly behind them.
For the Richards family, the journey from diagnosis to separation and recovery was filled with uncertainty, but now it is marked by relief and gratitude. Anna and Hope continue to grow and thrive, surrounded by love and care.
