Despite doctors’ warnings about the challenges of her pregnancy and predictions that her conjoined twins might not survive beyond their first day, one mother refused to give up. Ten years later, her daughters have shown the world that life can hold extraordinary surprises.

From babies doctors feared might not survive…

Felicia and Brendan Hogans were overjoyed when they learned that Felicia was expecting twins, until doctors told them that the babies were conjoined at the head. Believing their future would be extremely uncertain, doctors advised the Hogans family to consider ending the pregnancy. But the courageous mother made it clear that walking away from her babies was not an option for her.

Then, when Tatiana and Krista arrived, Felicia and Brendan were once again asked to prepare for the most difficult outcome, as doctors believed their daughters might not live beyond their first 24 hours. Yet, against all expectations, the twins continued to grow with remarkable strength. Today, the girls are 10 years old and enjoy life alongside other children their age, living with their parents and siblings Rosa, 13, Christopher, 11, and Shayleigh, 7, in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada.

“We are just taking things one day at a time. Every birthday the girls reach is another milestone that shows we have made it through another year,” Felicia shared.

Over the past decade, the conjoined twins have continued to challenge medical expectations, becoming an inspiring story that led to a documentary about their lives titled Inseparable.

Tatiana and Krista bring their family endless joy and happiness because they embrace each day in their own special way. Through the documentary, the twins have shown the world what it is like to wake up every morning connected to one another. Not only do they enjoy life together, but Tatiana and Krista also attend school like many other children in Canada.

Since the twins were born, the Hogans family has continued to monitor their daughters’ health closely. Doctors have said they are amazed by the remarkable way the girls’ brains function together.

Even when one sister turns her eyes in a completely different direction, she can still see what the other sister is looking at. The twins also share certain sensations and emotions, even feeling ticklish when the other is tickled. Although each girl has her own body, both can also control the other’s arms and legs.

Their mother, Felicia, says the girls love going to school, watching Power Rangers and eating cake. More than anything, the two children are always smiling, filling their mother and father Brendan with happiness.

“I never dared to imagine that the girls would be able to do the things they are doing today. There is nobody else in the world connected to each other in quite the same way as my daughters,” Felicia said in the documentary, which was set to air on CBC.

Neurosurgeon Douglas Cochrane, who treated the twins as they grew up, acknowledged that the girls had amazed him with the way they navigated the unique challenges of their shared anatomy and continued to grow.

The twins’ grandmother, Louise McKay, recalled that one doctor had predicted the girls might spend their lives unable to move around independently. Instead, they have developed far beyond what anyone expected.

Tatiana and Krista have learned to run, play and move around together, although no one has been able to establish whether they share the same thoughts. However, the girls say they can read each other’s minds without needing to speak.

In September, the twins began sixth grade. Although their learning has progressed at a different pace, the sisters are working on developing their reading, writing and maths skills.

Like many sisters, Tatiana and Krista share a close bond, but they also have their disagreements. Their mother, Felicia, works hard to help them get along, knowing that they will continue to share their lives together.

The sisters cannot simply go their separate ways or live independently of one another because of the unique connection between their brains. Doctors have explained that attempting to separate them could carry an extremely high risk of serious complications, including paralysis or loss of life.

According to Felicia Hogan, the twins’ brains are connected almost like a zipper. Each girl has her own brain, but the two are joined in an extraordinary way, making separation medically unfeasible. Because of this, her daughters must learn to navigate life together, and the Hogans family refuses to let their head connection prevent them from experiencing as much of life as possible.

“We never tell our girls they cannot do something. Instead, we always encourage them to try everything,” Felicia said.