Nearly three months after arriving in India with little more than hope, Filipino twin toddlers Tyler and Kelly Clarito are finally preparing to return home, their lives transformed by two rare liver transplant surgeries that doctors say gave them a second chance at life.

The two-year-old twins from Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, are expected to fly back to the Philippines on Aug. 1 after weeks of post-operative monitoring at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals and subsequent follow-up consultations while staying at a nearby hotel in New Delhi.

Tyler underwent a living donor liver transplant on May 29, followed five days later by Kelly on June 3, after both children developed liver failure caused by Choledochal Cyst Type IVA, a rare congenital disorder affecting the bile ducts.

Apollo Hospitals told the Manila Bulletin that Tyler's surgery lasted more than 15 hours, while Kelly's took over 13 hours, with both procedures requiring complex surgical reconstruction before the boys gradually recovered with healthy liver function.

Dr. Anupam Sibal, Pediatric Gastroenterologist and Group Medical Director at Apollo Hospitals, described how rare the twins’ situation was, noting that they were the first set of twins of the 645 pediatric liver transplants performed at Apollo.

“Liver transplants in twins are rare, and for both children to need a liver transplant at the same time is even rarer. Both the babies were small, and that made the transplants even more challenging,” he said. 

“Kelly and Tyler are such a powerful example of Born Together, Fought Together and Saved Together,” he added.

Dr. Neerav Goyal, the hospital's senior liver transplant surgeon, said the twins have recovered well, with healthy liver function, and continue to do well during follow-up. 

“These transplants highlight the role of timely intervention, unwavering family support and dedicated medical care that has given two young children the opportunity to lead healthy lives,” he said.

For Wilson and Daisy Ann Clarito, however, leaving the hospital does not mark the end of their journey but the beginning of another challenge—keeping their sons healthy once they return to the Philippines.

In an interview with the Manila Bulletin, Wilson said the boys will require strict post-transplant medication, regular laboratory monitoring and follow-up consultations, with the nearest hospital capable of handling their checkups located in Davao City.

The medicine quotations issued by Apollo Hospitals include immunosuppressants and other maintenance drugs such as Pangraf (tacrolimus), Mycept (mycophenolate mofetil), Valgan, Omnacortil, and Ecosprin, with the prescribed medicines costing about $1,700 for Tyler and $2,153 for Kelly.

Wilson said the family was advised to secure the prescribed medicines in India before returning home and appealed for assistance to help them continue the twins' treatment.

“Yung pang-isang taon na gamot po, dito lang po ’yon mabibili sa India. Wala po dyan sa Pilipinas. Kaya kailangan po talaga sana namin, kung may makatulong, kahit bigyan lang kami ng gamot. Masaya na kami, sir (We were told those medicines can only be obtained here in India. If someone could help us even with the medicines, we would already be grateful),” he said.

The twins' journey to New Delhi came after months of deteriorating health despite receiving medical care in the Philippines, where repeated hospitalizations, gastrointestinal bleeding, abdominal swelling, and poor growth left liver transplantation as their only chance of survival.

Wilson said the family spent more than a year in Manila seeking treatment before eventually turning to public officials and private donors for help.

"Galing kami ng Mindanao, nagbakasakali lang kami na pumunta ng Manila baka maoperahan ang anak namin. Tapos napunta kami ng India. Unexpected ba (We came from Mindanao hoping our children could be operated on in Manila, and then we ended up in India. We never expected it),” he said.

According to Apollo Hospitals, the family's referral was facilitated by Briseis Liver2Hold Organization Inc., together with Makati Mayor Nancy Binay, and other supporters who helped coordinate their transfer and mobilize financial assistance.

Wilson said Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso shouldered the twins' hospital expenses, Mayor Binay covered the family's airfare, Sen. Erwin Tulfo paid for their accommodation, while businessman Kevin Ty continued providing assistance throughout their stay in India.

"Excited kami noon, sir... Nung sinagot niya (Mayor Isko Moreno) na nga sir, ang gaan sa pakiramdam namin na ganoon ang nangyari (We were so overwhelmed... When he agreed to shoulder the hospital expenses, it felt like a huge burden had been lifted from us),” Wilson said of Moreno's assistance.

“‘Sige, sige, kung ano yung pangangailangan ng mga anak niyo, sasagutin na ng Lungsod ng Maynila at ng taxpayer.’ ‘Yan ang sabi niya (‘Whatever your children need, the City of Manila and the taxpayers will take care of it.’ That’s what he told us),” he recalled Moreno telling them.

Finding suitable liver donors for two children within days of each other proved to be another obstacle, but the twins' own family stepped forward.

Their mother, Daisy Ann, donated part of her liver to Tyler, while her brother, Roy Martinez Escasinas, volunteered to donate to Kelly after Wilson was found medically unfit for liver donation.

Wilson said his brother-in-law would return home without work after leaving his contractual job to undergo the donation procedure, while his wife remains on indefinite leave from her teaching post in Surigao del Sur as the family focuses on helping Tyler and Kelly recover.