She’s A 22-Year-Old Woman With The Body Of A 3rd-Grader

Imagine being a 22-year-old woman who physically looks like an 8-year-old girl. Shauna Rae lives a life of being judged and literally minimized every day because of her looks.
When she was an infant, she developed a rare brain cancer, making it necessary to undergo chemotherapy.
As a result, she suffered the dramatic side-effect of stunted growth. “My pituitary gland was rendered almost dormant because of the chemotherapy. The doctor told me I was done growing. My bones were fused, and my height is 3 feet and 10 inches,” said Shauna.
Trying to live a normal life beyond childhood has been a challenge for Shauna. She is always treated like a child. We get a chance to see her everyday life this January in a new TLC series, “I Am Shauna Rae.”
She lives with her parents and is “protected” by her ever-loving family. Her mother says she feels “almost guilty that she will have to go through this for the rest of her life. So, all I can do is protect her.”
I cannot imagine being a teenager, not going through traditional “growing pains,” and not experiencing the rites of passage of the transition from childhood to adulthood.
“Even though I can’t physically grow up, I desperately want to be treated like a grown-up,” Shauna explained.
Just looking at her, it’s tough to believe she’s 22-years old. If I saw her at a bar or out on a date displaying affection with a “typical” person of her age, I would assume she was a child and be shocked, wondering if I should try to intervene for human trafficking or even worse.
TLC; pictured above is Shauna
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Imagine the mental toll this takes on Shauna almost every day.
It’s hard to blame judgment when young girls emulate stereotypical role models from widespread media. It’s tough to distinguish their age, making them targets of unwanted advances.
Shauna can’t help her appearance. She will always resemble a young girl. But Shauna wants to make a connection and find a meaningful relationship, and her appearance is not stopping her.
Watch her fascinating story that premieres on TLC this Tuesday, January 11 at 10 PM ET/PT.
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