Mercantile & Maritime supports Great Ormond Street Hospital and Gemini Untwined with surgical separation of conjoined twins

London, 22 June 2020: Surgeons at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital have celebrated the UK’s status as the home for medical innovation and technology following the successful separation and recovery of a set of cranial conjoined twins.

Dr Noor ul Owase Jeelani, the lead Paediatric Neurosurgeon for the separation of Yigit and Derman Evrensel, and founder of the Gemini Untwined Charity, commented: ‘I am pleased for the twins and their family that their separation surgeries have gone well.’

’The operation was made possible thanks to the charity Gemini Untwined and the lead donor for this operation, Mr Murtaza Lakhani. Gemini Untwined was set up following the successful separation of Safa and Marwa last year to give other conjoined twins the chance to live independent lives. As a charity, our mission is to combine the expertise of world-class surgery and pioneering research, to provide families in this unique position the opportunity to return home with two healthy, separate children.’

‘We know there will be more children out there in years to come with this need. There is no question that the earlier we assist children that are eligible for surgery, the more likely that there will be a better outcome. We are therefore keen to make sure funds are available, when another case comes along that we can help with.’

Mr Murtaza Lakhani, Founder and CEO of Mercantile & Maritime Group, who co-funded the operation with his wife, said:

“This remarkable surgery shows the importance of continuous medical innovation, and has allowed these children to live a better life. We are proud to have supported the separation of Safa and Marwa last year and we are grateful to have been able to continue backing the remarkable and cutting-edge work performed by Dr Jeelani and the team at Great Ormond Street Hospital. When we learnt about Yigit and Derman, we were again determined to help and make sure to get the boys home in time for their second birthday.”

ENDS

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