TLC is known for its insightful story-telling television shows and specials. From My 600 Pound Life to Sister Wives , viewers of this diverse channel will get a glimpse into the everyday life of people around the world.
TLC’s latest show, I Am Shauna Rae follows 22-year-old Shauna and documents her life as a woman whose growth was stunted as a complication of her battle with brain cancer as an infant.
TLC fans met the exceptional 22-year-old earlier this month with the premiere of her new TLC show, “I Am Shauna Rae.”
Shauna was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer when she was just 6 months old. Though the cancer treatment helped save her life, it rendered her pituitary gland practically dormant thus stunting her growth.
Speaking with “People” Shauna highlighted how she is treated by most people because of her size.
“That’s all I’m asking for, is for people to treat me like a normal human,” she told correspondent Segun Oduolowu.
“I believe that my story is relatable to everyone because I’ve felt different my entire life,” she continued.
“And it’s not my situation that makes me relate to other people, it’s the feelings. It’s the emotional things that we go through.”
“A lot of people have different circumstances, but it’s the same emotional turmoil that we go through,” Shauna explained.
The TLC star revealed she didn’t realize the effect her stunted growth had on her until she reached junior high.
“It was a very difficult time. It probably was the lowest time of my life, because I always imagined that I would be tall,” she explained.
At sixteen, Shauna learned she wasn’t going to grow any taller.
RELATED STORIES
“I kind of isolated myself in a way so I could find myself and be happy with who I am, because at the time I wasn’t happy with who I was,” she recalled.
“I started doing online school, and I just really focused on me and what I wanted to do, and who I was as a person, and bettering myself.”
Embracing herself and working on her confidence has helped Shauna prepare for the dating scene, which she admits has been a struggle.
Overall, she hopes her show will inspire people to be optimistic and try to look on the bright side of life.
“Being positive is just the best advice I can give,” she told the news outlet, “because at the end of the day, the only person that controls how you feel is yourself.”
I personally cannot wait to watch Shauna’s story unfold.
I Am Shauna Rae airs Tuesday nights on TLC.
h/t: People
