While the separation surgery for Laleh and Ladan Bijani did not turn out the way so many had hoped, the Iranian twins, in the end, got what they wanted. The bodies of the 29-year-old sisters will be flown separately from Singapore to Tehran. The women, who came from a poor Iranian family, touched the world with their desire to live independent lives. Both women were law school graduates; Ladan, the more extroverted sister, wanted to become a lawyer. Laleh desired to be a journalist.No one who followed this story or even heard about it casually could fail to be touched by the courage and optimism both sisters showed. They knew the risks of separation surgery, which increase greatly with age. In fact, the operation, which has increasingly been successful on infants in recent years, had never been attempted on adults. But they simply had to try. Doctors knew the risk. Many refused the Bijanis request for surgery. So the twins went to Singapore, where, in 2001, Dr. Keith Goh and his team successfully separated Nepalese twins Ganga and Jamuna. Sadly, the same results were not meant to be for the Bijani twins, who lost too much blood as the final separation in the 50-hour surgical procedure was made. However, succeed they did. This weeks surgery was rightly named Operation Hope. These women went against all odds in search of their dream to live independent lives. It would not have been enough for the Bijanis alone to believe they could overcome their circumstances. They had traveled the world looking for surgeons willing to attempt the procedure. Part of the oath taken by physicians is the promise to use my power to help the sick to the best of my ability and judgment. Goh and his team have upheld their oath and provided hope for others in the future. Through their willingness to venture into the unknown and untested regions of this medical frontier, future lives will be saved and bettered. The courage displayed by the Bijani sisters has brought a share of temporary sadness. But the strength of their persistence and the determination to press forward will provide a lasting tribute to their faith and an inspiration to many in a difficult and dangerous world.