Cork mum of formerly conjoined twins set to raise funds for Puffin Ward

THE first ‘Cork Wears Red’ fundraising lunch since 2019 takes place on Saturday August 26 at Vienna Woods Hotel.

Organised by Angie Benhaffaf, mum of formerly conjoined twins Hassan and Hussein, this will be her ninth such lunch, which has generated an incredible €85,000 for charities including Make A Wish, Bumbleance and Crumlin’s Straight Ahead fund.

This year’s lunch is in aid of The Puffin Ward CUH, Cork, & YANA Cork Domestic Violence Project, and much of the event, Angie said, was organised at a hospital bedside.

It’s been a busy summer for the Carrigtowhill family - what with their regime of routine medical appointments for the twins, as well as hospital visits.

At one point, Angie said she wondered if she had bit off more than she could chew, but she was determined it would go ahead: “It didn’t happen because of the pandemic, then last year Hassan was just too poorly, so we’re all really looking forward to what’s going to be a great day, for a great cause.

We’ve spent lots of time in the Puffin Ward with the twins over the last 13 years, in fact we were only there in April, and I’m sure there are very few people who don’t have some experience of the place, so the lunch is a great way to give back and also have a great day.

When The Echo caught up with the mum-of-four, she had just returned from Great Ormond Street with the boys.

“We’re due back there again in October and Hussein will need to have major surgery before the end of the year in Crumlin. Hassan had his over a year ago and he’s still in recovery. It’s taken its toll on him,” she said.

The boys made international headlines when they were born conjoined from chest to pelvis in December 2009. Four months later, they were separated following a delicate 14-hour operation, and since then they’ve had over 60 surgeries, earning them the title of Cork’s Little Fighters.

“I’ve actually lost count of how many surgeries they’ve had,” admits Angie. “But Hassan has always gone first for all of them, even though he has a congenital condition, and Hussein follows. Hassan will sugar coat things a bit and go through things for his brother. He’s so protective of him and is always minding him.”

This past summer was especially hard, she admits.

“Just recently, Hassan was looking sad and when I asked him why, he told me that he felt the whole summer had been spent either in hospital or at appointments, and they didn’t get to take a break, and that really broke my heart. Their wellbeing is my priority but it’s very sad that you have to pick hospitals over taking them on holiday.”

The brothers did find time to compete at the Disabled Sports England championships in Coventry and won three gold and three silver medals, in discus, javelin and shot put.

“Between hospital and sports, they really know how to keep me busy,” laughs Angie.

“But they really enjoy it, and it’s hard to imagine that when I see them poorly in hospital. Last September, I remember Hassan had been in hospital for two weeks and he came home on a Friday night and at 8am the next morning he was on his way to compete in Carlow, insisting he knew his own body. And he did – he scored a personal best in the discus.”

They’ll turn 14 in December and Angie said she’s trying to push them to take the lead with their appointments, and learn to speak up for themselves.

They’re also both looking forward to starting in Carrigtwohill Community College this September.

Angie says it feels like just yesterday that they started primary school, walking in hand-in-hand.

They’ve never had to wear a uniform until now, and they were in Hyde’s in Midleton getting kitted out for school and it was just so surreal to see them standing so tall. They looked like young men!

When they were born, she said, “you have all these dreams in your head, but you never know what’s going to be reality”.

“To see them starting school is such a huge milestone,” she said.

Their graduation from primary school was a very emotional occasion.

“Hassan had pre-recorded a message that was to be shown at the ceremony, but the sound quality wasn’t great on the day. He’s a quiet boy and wouldn’t like public speaking, but he read his message and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.”

Hassan said: ‘If it wasn’t for my mum, I would not be standing on this stage. She has helped me reach milestones not a single person on this planet thought would be possible. And that’s because she didn’t give up, not on me, not on the world, not on anyone. She is the most loving, caring person.”

Angie honestly admits that there are hard days, and hard weeks and she has laminated Hassan’s message to read on those tough days to ger her through.’

“I sometimes say that we have to put on our ‘Brady Bunch’ smiles heading out, but it’s not always easy. Handing the boys over for surgery can seem endless, and that’s what is the hardest; and seeing them in pain in recovery, that’s what breaks me. They are my absolute world, and you just want to take that from them, but I can’t,” she said.

Angie is also mum to Malika (19) who is in college, and Iman (16) going in to Transition Year.

“Between the four of them, I’ve no hope of ever getting near a mirror,” jokes their mum.

But behind her customary positivity, she’s only too aware of how the twins have defied the odds: “There were a million to one odds that I’d get to keep them and they just defied the odds the whole way. I was never meant to have them, and every day I wake up to my two little miracles and they just do me so proud.

Since they were born, they’ve changed my whole perception of life. All I’ve ever wanted for them is happiness because they deserve it, they go through so much. They’ve hard lives and they never complain. It’s inspirational, even for me as their mum, they’re just a joy to be around,” she said.

Hassan and Hussein will attend the upcoming fundraising lunch and special guests are the boys’ SNAs, who have supported them throughout their primary school years.

If you want to buy tickets or donate a prize, you can contact 086 8117536. Tickets cost €85 and include a prosecco and strawberries drinks reception, a three course meal with wine sponsored by Herlihys Centra, goodie bags, and Leonidas chcolates.

The Flames Band will perform. There will also be a Photo Booth and 360 photos from Plan My Event, a flower wall by Flowers Backdrop, Happy Jars from Big White Rabbit, and much more.