Photo By: Ellen Ozier |
In our first full hour documentary with conjoined
twins (the scientific and politically correct term
for Siamese twins), Abby and Brittany Hensel, we join
the girls from age eleven to twelve. They are intelligent,
energetic, fun-loving girls who just happen to share
one set of legs and one set of arms - each girl controlling
one half of their conjoined body.
In their own words, they are “just two people…stuck
together.”
How can two people live in such close and constant
proximity for an entire lifetime? The very concept
challenges one of the most central notions of the
human experience - individuality.
The challenges are both big and small.
How do they communicate with each other to move…run…
ride a bike… play sports…and even piano?
How does their condition affect their health? What
happens to one if the other becomes ill? How do
they keep from sharing answers on tests? Do they
both like the same food, music or even the same
boy? Do they ever yearn to be alone?
In short, how can two individuals share one body?
Abby and Brittany Hensel present a rare opportunity
- they help us to see even the most mundane moments
in life as extraordinary. They remind us that life’s
challenges can make us stronger and better.
Perhaps most of all, they teach us by example that
individuality has little to do with one’s
physical condition… it springs from the heart
and soul.
