In 2018, the story of Bhutan’s first conjoined twins captured national attention after they were successfully separated in Melbourne, Australia. The twins were only about 15 months old at the time. Now, several years after that, they are growing up as two separate individuals, with their own personalities, interests and experiences.
These identical twins were born with the joined lower chest just above the pelvis and shared the liver. In November that year, they were successfully separated in a hospital in Australia.
Fast forward to 2026, and that journey, once filled with uncertainty, is now taking a promising turn.
Nima and Dawa are nine years old. Today, they are healthy, happy and growing into lively young girls. They live in Phuentshogling.
Their mother Bumchu Zangmo said, “They know they were born conjoined. At school, some children ask why they look different. When they tell them they were born that way and had surgery in Australia, some children find it hard to believe. So I tell them to focus on their studies because, given the surgeries they have undergone, they may not be able to do physically demanding work like others.”
But the journey was far from a simple surgery. Months of tests, consultations and coordination between doctors in Bhutan and Australia were taking a toll, making an already difficult journey even harder for the family.
And this woman, Bumchu, their mother, was at the centre of all of this. She gave it all, her time, her strength and her love to see her daughters through every challenge
“When my daughters were born conjoined, I was in disbelief. I could not think or do anything. I even had suicidal thoughts, but then I thought about what would happen to them if I was not there for them. I could not bring myself to look at them. Whenever I did, I would cry. But I had to think about my daughters and find the strength to carry on,” said the mother.
“I am very happy and grateful to the doctors here in Bhutan and those in Australia who supported us throughout this journey. Even today, my daughters sometimes ask why they were born that way.”
But through it all, the sisters have grown inseparable, sharing a bond that seems to go beyond words.
Dawa Jamyang Pelden says, “I love playing with Dawa. When I grow up, I want to become a Doctor.”
“I also want to become a Doctor and I love studying,” added Nima Jamyang Pelden.
Eight years after their separation, the twins’ story is no longer defined by the surgery that separated them. It is a story of two young girls growing up, going to school, making plans for the future and discovering their own paths.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Tandin Phuntsho
