"Maria de Jesus and Maria Teresa Quiej Alvarez continue to stay with Healing The Children volunteers in Southern California," said Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA pediatric neurosurgeon, Dr. Jorge Lazareff, who led the 23-hour separation surgery in August 2002. "Maria de Jesus (whose nickname is Josie) talks and walks with assistance and has developed a charming personality, but Maria Teresa (whose nickname is Teresita) remains more challenged because she developed meningitis last year in Guatemala(2003). We continue to marvel at the improvement that both girls have evidenced."

Cris Embleton of Healing The Children adds that Teresita is responding more and more every day. "When she is with a family member, she 'coos and coos.' She is definitely trying to communicate," said Embleton. "For the first time, she has started using her arms. So far, it is just to push the blanket off of her, but that is a start." Embleton also reported that Josie now stands unassisted at the couch and can reach down and pick things up. She is talking more and more and definitely understands everything.