To the media and nation of Costa Rica

For immediate release - November 12, 2007

The following statement has been released from Maria Elizabeth Arias and José Luis Rocha, parents of conjoined twins Yurelia and Fiorella Rocha-Arias

“Our beloved twins Yurelia and Fiorella are now undergoing surgery for separation. We ask the people from Costa Rica, Nicaragua and other nations to care for our babies and to pray this day more than ever. We also want to send regards and love to all our children and family and ask them to pray. We wish and love to be with you. We want to thank Mending Kids International, Costa Rica and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital for prayers, guidance and support. We are also grateful to the U.S. and Costa Rican media. Cris Embleton from Mending Kids and Margarita Guerrero are currently speaking on our behalf. We would also like to request that the people of the United States and Costa Rica support Mending Kids International, so that they can continue to provide assistance to kids like ours. Meanwhile, thank you for respecting the privacy of our family, especially the privacy of our children in Costa Rica.”

(Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford will release information about the twins’ surgery later this week).