On Aug. 20 at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia, Pa., the Lakeberg Siamese twins, Angela and Amy, were surgically separated.
Amy was sacrificed so that Angela could have the liver and malformed heart they shared.
An ultrasound test had detected problems before the twins were born June 29, but Reitha and Kenneth Lakeberg refused to have an abortion. Angela's medical bills were expected to exceed $1 million.
The case raised ethical questions about attempting the operation and its cost. One hospital had refused to do the surgery. Before the operation, Angela was given less than a 1 percent chance of survival. However, on Dec. 29, Angela turned 6 months old. She remains in intensive care, breathing with a respirator, but she is growing, her heart is working well and doctors are optimistic about her future.
The twins' father, Kenneth Lakeberg, made headlines when he admitted that he took money donated to the family and bought drugs.
