Alexis Shapiro - A 12-year-old Texas girl, who suffered from a rare medical condition that made her overindulge because she always felt hungry, has regained her childhood after undergoing surgery and losing more than 50 pounds.
Reports indicate that Alexis Shapiro's struggles with serious weight problems began three years ago after she had surgery to remove a benign tumor from her brain. At the time, she weighted around 50 pounds, which doctors considered to be too much weight for her age.
The surgery was considered successful. However, Alexis Shapiro incurred a potentially 'heavy' side effect. The tumor, which was removed, had destroyed parts of her brain including, the hypothalamus and pituitary glands.
The disruption of the glands affected how her body detected signals from her digestive system; causing her to suffer from a very rare condition call hypothalamic obesity. This made the child to always feel hungry, and as a result she ate more and quickly became seriously overweight.
Alexis Shapiro reportedly gained 50lbs every year. She weighed more than 200Ibs just three years after the surgery. The child also suffered from type 2 diabetes as a result of being obese.
According to local sources, Alexis Shapiro's parents tried to help her reduce weight thorough diet programs and exercise regimens.
Earlier this year, Alexis Shapiro underwent sleeve gastronomy surgery and became one of the youngest people to undergo the procedure in the U.S. She underwent the surgery at the Cincinnati Children Hospital. The procedure was successful and she lost more than 50 pounds.
Her mother Jenny Shapiro said the surgery had restored her daughter's childhood back. She revealed that seven months after the surgery, Alexis was happy and had stopped taking her type 2 diabetes medication.
"I'm so happy to be able to see her get back parts of her childhood that she once enjoyed so much but had lost while she was so sick," Shapiro said in a post to on the hospital's website - documenting her daughter's journey to recovery.
"We've also seen wonderful growth in Alexis' independence, strength and stamina," she added. "She loves her school work and even recently joined an after-school club."
Reports indicate everyday Alexis Shapiro walks half a mile to school - despite the fact that she struggles with her energy levels. "She likes learning!" Jenny Shapiro wrote in a statement. "She is still scared to try new things that she couldn't do while she was heavier, but we are trying."
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