Shiloh Pepin was a miracle child.
She was a born in 1999, in Maine, USA. She instantly drew worldwide attention due to a rare disease, an unusual birth defect called sirenomelia, or what it is commonly known as the mermaid syndrome.
Sirenomelia is a medical condition that involves malformation of legs. Shiloh was born with an appearance of a mermaid. That is, from the waist down, she only had one leg (both her legs were adjoined together) that was shaped like a mermaid. Moreover, she only had one functioning kidney, and no genitals or small intestine.
The day she was born, the doctors had given up on her. It was hard for her parents to accept the judgment of the doctors. The doctors told her parents that she would only survive for a maximum of 10 days.
And yet, Shiloh defied the odds of the doctors and lived for nine years. In 2009, Shiloh was approached by Oprah Winfrey to come as a guest in her talk show. During the show, she openly talked about her disease, her life, and her struggles. Moreover, a documentary was made on her for the purpose of tracking her progress.
In most cases, the doctors perform a procedure to separate the legs of the sirenomelia sufferers. But in Shiloh’s case, this procedure was not an option due to the blood vessels coming in the way.
She continued to live with her family and went to school like a normal kid. She was gaining attention every single day as a result of the affliction that continues to puzzle the doctors.
Sadly, a month after her appearance in Oprah, Shiloh passed away. She fought a decade defying her disease. The cause of sirenomelia is still unknown, although the doctors believe it happens due to lack of blood circulation in the womb.
During Shiloh’s short life, she made sure everybody is happy. People around her worked hard to make her life better. She will never be forgotten.
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