Since birth, twin brothers Benjamin and Emilio have been fighting for their lives. Born prematurely, the twins spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at their birthing hospital before they were allowed to join their older sisters at home. But before long, new health complications emerged for Emilio when his stomach became grossly distended.  

Testing led to Emilio’s diagnosis of Hirschsprung's disease, a congenital condition that makes it difficult to pass stool due to missing nerve cells in the wall of the colon. About a year later, Benjamin received the same Hirschsprung’s diagnosis, which came as a surprise to the twins’ physicians, as the condition is extremely rare with only 21 cases known in identical twins.

Thanks to your support, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Colorectal Center – the first and most experienced in Florida – can continue to provide world-class care for rare diseases. The twins successfully underwent complex surgery to remove the affected area of the intestine. Today they continue receiving follow-up care at Nicklaus Children’s to ensure there are no future complications.