Shauna Rae is 25 years old but looks like a child. The TLC star became known for her show I Am Shauna Rae, which shared her story of surviving brain cancer and how the treatment stopped her growth. She weighs about 50 pounds and stands just under four feet tall.
In the series, Shauna talked about her challenges with dating and independence. She said there are a lot of “creeps” who want to date her. Many viewers have expressed sympathy, saying she deserves love and normal relationships just like anyone else.
Her size is the result of pituitary dwarfism, caused by childhood chemotherapy that damaged her pituitary gland. Because of that, people often mistake her for an eight-year-old. She said: “People don’t understand that I’m an adult.”
In an interview she explained: “If you look at me, you see an eight-year-old. But if you take the time to look at the details in my face, my hands, and if you talk to me, you really understand that I’m an adult.” Still, most people don’t take the time to notice, and she’s often treated like a kid.
Shauna said she’s been handed kids’ menus, cups, and crayons at restaurants. She said: “I think it’s just the environment I’m around and the way I carry myself that sometimes affects it, but it happens all the time.”
Even though she’s not ready for children, Shauna started a fertility journey. On her YouTube channel, she revealed she has a very low egg count and wanted to freeze her eggs. She said: “I wanted to go through with getting my eggs frozen to save a chance if I want to have children. I want the same opportunities as anyone else.” But she couldn’t afford it, as the procedure would have cost nearly $20,000.
Shauna recently launched a GoFundMe to raise money for both egg freezing and dental implants. She wrote that she might become infertile within months and asked for help to secure her future.
She also told fans that she’s in a relationship. On Instagram she said: “All you really need to know is they make me happy and I don’t know if I’d be as far in my goals without them. Please know that all I ask from y’all is to support me and refrain from being hateful toward them or my relationship.”
In another interview, she said she’s learned how to recognize people with bad intentions. Shauna said: “Their questions are very targeted towards my physicality. They’re learning about me like I’m a specimen in a lab.” Despite the challenges, she’s staying focused on her goals and finding happiness in her own way.
