Here’s what the joined stomach twins, Kendra and Maliyah, are doing now

Born in 2002, Kendra and Maliyah were joined at the tummy. In a Salt Lake City hospital, two baby girls were born joined together at the tummy. The twins, named Kendra and Maliyah Herrin, had a rare condition, which meant they shared a pelvis, a kidney, and a liver. But despite this, the Herrin twins were able to survive and leave the hospital. However, their parents soon faced a tough decision. The twins, Kendra and Maliyah Herrin, were joined at the head and spent their first few years of life inseparable, living every moment together. Their parents, Jake and Erin, had to make a tough decision. The Herrins decided to have a risky operation to separate them. This changed their lives forever, but it was the right thing to do. Finally, the day came when the girls would be separated. This would change their family's world forever. Six surgeons and 25 support staff worked tirelessly to separate the twins at the torso, leaving them each with one leg. The road to recovery was scary, but the Herrin family was fortunate to have an incredible support network during this challenging time. The medical team had to make a difficult decision because the twins shared only one kidney. Kendra received the kidney, and Maliyah went on dialysis for nine months until her mother donated her kidney. For years, everything seemed fine, but suddenly, a decade later, Maliyah's body began rejecting her mom's kidney. She had to return to dialysis, and the future once again looked unclear. Maliyah was left without a kidney. She had to undergo dialysis for another 18 months while also waiting for an organ donation. Now, they live separate lives and do different things, which was not expected when they were babies. They finally felt independent at high school, but getting around independently was expected to be complicated. Their father had a great idea: to use doctor's stools. They soon started walking with crutches and even climbing the stairs at school. They had come a long way to get to that point. The next challenge was learning to drive. At the start of their lives, their parents had little hope for the future. But Maliyah and Kendra were ready to take on the world. So, they decided to take the plunge and learn to drive. In 2022, the girls reached a milestone no one thought they would make. They turned 20 and were now living life independently. Kendra worked as a cashier at a grocery store and had already earned a phlebotomy certification (a qualification in blood-taking) by the time she was 18. Maliyah recently graduated from Davis Technical College with a degree in digital media and wants to start a career in graphic design. Despite their challenges, the twins continue to pursue their dreams. Maliyah and Kendra have overcome big problems and are enjoying life. But, as with most things in life, it's not always easy. Their health problems remind them that life is fragile. They could be back in the hospital at any time. This became very clear when Kendra was supposed to start school and got a nasty infection. They started a YouTube channel to talk about their experiences. Social media is powerful, and Kendra and Maliyah Herrin have experienced this firsthand. Their YouTube channel lets them express their personalities and share their stories with the world. They like the idea of bringing a smile to people's faces and sharing a silly side of themselves that people don't always get to see or would not know from first impressions.