At Ranken Jordan, our Care Beyond the BedsideⓇ philosophy is rooted in the belief that children heal best when they are allowed to be children. Typically, this involves bringing parents and siblings directly into the care plan.

However, for Hiyab and Wuhbto – twins who traveled from Ethiopia to St. Louis for a life-changing separation surgery – the distance from home presents a unique challenge to the healing process.

The question we asked ourselves was: “How do we provide the essential connection of home when home is thousands of miles away?”

The answer lies in a remarkable, collaborative partnership with World Pediatrics, a global nonprofit that transforms access to advanced pediatric care by connecting children with life-changing surgical and medical care and strengthening the expertise and partnerships needed to reach more children, wherever they live.

World Pediatrics was a critical partner in getting the girls to the U.S. from Ethiopia and their support continues as the girls recover at Ranken Jordan. Kate Corbett, Senior Director of Stewardship and Founder of World Pediatrics’ St. Louis’ Chapter, serves as the girls’ guardian while they’re in the U.S., helping ensure their needs are met and maintaining a vital connection between their care team and family in Ethiopia.

Our team at Ranken Jordan has worked closely with World Pediatrics to ensure the girls feel a sense of family and community for their time in the U.S.

Kate and a dedicated team of World Pediatrics volunteers visit Ranken Jordan every single day of the week.

They aren’t just visitors; they have been by their side since they arrived in March of 2025 and become their St. Louis family. They’re also  advocates who attend therapy sessions, track progress and provide the emotional consistency these toddlers need.

What’s more, the local St. Louis Ethiopian community has also stepped in, providing cultural support and language connection for both the girls and their guardians. The ability to provide a “family room” atmosphere – where nurses, therapists and even other teenage patients stop by to cheer the girls on – is exactly what makes Ranken Jordan different.

Whether they’re sporting their signature pink helmets or navigating the gym in their strollers, the twins are the heart of our community.

Through Kate and Abebe, the girls’ parents also share texts and messages of thanks with the Ranken Jordan team. In a recent text, Hiyab and Wuhubto’s mother shared: “Sending my heartfelt appreciation for everyone caring for our girls, filling both the role of mother and father. I am truly grateful for all the support!”

The twins are growing up and speaking English, but every member of our team is committed to preserving their connection to their native Tigrinya language.

Through the team’s intentional efforts, the girls hear their family’s voices through WhatsApp recordings and regular video calls.

The impact is instantaneous.

“When they hear their brothers’ voices, they instantly smile,” notes Kate. During a recent care conference, when the girls heard their Ethiopian guardian Abebe’s voice through a screen, the effect was profound. Hiyab – who had been fussy that day – instantly calmed. It was a powerful reminder that even through a speaker, the bond of attachment provides a sense of safety that no medicine can replicate.

Language has also been a barrier for our care team and ensuring the girls’ parents and caregivers in Ethiopia are kept up to date. Our team has worked closely with Abebe, the girls’ guardian in Ethiopia, to ensure the medical updates and milestones are communicated in a way that’s easy to translate into the parents’ native language.

While Hiyab and Wuhbto’s experience is unique, our team at Ranken Jordan works hard to ensure every child feels a sense of family and connection when they’re in our care. It’s part of our Care Beyond the Bedside model: we care for the whole child and that includes their family, whether it’s their parents and siblings or other caregivers.

Kids thrive when they’re with people they love and who love them and that shouldn’t stop when they’re at the hospital.

“I don’t think the girls would be where they are today without the community and family aspect of Ranken Jordan,” said Kate from World Pediatrics. “Whether the girls are hanging out at the nurses’ station, spending time around other children or having a nurse come over to make them laugh or sing their favorite song, those familiar faces help them feel like part of a family. It doesn’t feel like a hospital; it feels like a village coming together around a shared goal of improving outcomes for children and their families.”

Our goal with Hiyab and Wuhbto, as with all of our amazing patients, is to help them return home successfully. While we focus on their immediate rehabilitation needs, we are also looking toward the future.

This includes:

• Clinical Continuity: Coordinating with neurosurgery programs in Ethiopia to ensure long-term management.
• Family Re-assimilation: Relying on technology (photos and videos) so the girls recognize their parents’ faces and voices, ensuring they aren’t “starting from scratch” when they return home.
• Sustainable Health: Managing medication availability and investigating therapy resources when they return to ensure their health remains stable in their home environment.

If you’re interested in supporting patients like Hiyab and Wuhbto, we encourage you to donate at RankenJordanFoundation.org.

Healing in children involves more than just the physical. By bridging the gap between Ethiopia and St. Louis, we’re ensuring that Hiyab and Wuhbto aren’t just surviving their separation; they’re thriving in the warmth of a global family.