In fact, there is a group of children who are unlucky to be born with their legs joined together, as if they have a fish tail. Usually babies born in this condition live only a few days. However, there was one little girl who broke the understanding of this condition of mankind. Not only did she survive, but she went to school like a normal child. She can’t walk but loves to dance.

Before the age of 10, she had undergone more than 150 surgeries, large and small, but still remained more optimistic than anyone. The unlucky “little mermaid” is Shiloh Pepin, born on August 4, 1999 in Maine, USA. While the girl’s parents were still filled with joy that the baby was safe, the doctor informed them that the baby might only have a few short days to live.

Because the child has M̲e̲r̲m̲a̲i̲d̲ ̲S̲y̲n̲d̲r̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲ (S̲i̲r̲e̲n̲o̲m̲e̲l̲i̲a̲ ̲S̲y̲n̲d̲r̲o̲m̲e̲), a rare birth defect that affects about 1 in 100 thousand babies. Without the doctor explaining too much, Shiloh’s parents understood the problem when looking at their daughter’s feet.

In medicine, ” M̲e̲r̲m̲a̲i̲d̲ ̲S̲y̲n̲d̲r̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲ “, also known as a deformity of the leg, is a life-threatening disease that affects internal organs and has been known since 1542.

Shiloh is no exception, the examination revealed that she lacked some important organs such as bladder, uterus, large intestine, a large kidney,… Most patients will die because there is no urethra. and rectum, preventing urine and waste from leaving the body. However, Shiloh miraculously survived with only a small “piece” of a kidney.

To continue living, Shiloh had to undergo many kidney transplant surgeries and complete other internal organs at the age of 2. Since then, she has had to go to the operating table continuously. Until the age of 7, her physical state was almost similar to that of her peers, apart from her legs.

Shiloh never underestimates herself, she always makes it clear to others that her favorite activity is dancing. Not only taking a ballet class, Shiloh also got to participate in a performance. Shiloh’s “dance” is very special, she sits on the stage and swings her body non-stop. What makes her regret until now is that she was absent from the show due to physical reasons at the last minute. In addition, Shiloh also learned to swim, learn to ride a sled, and play bowling.

The cause of M̲e̲r̲m̲a̲i̲d̲ ̲S̲y̲n̲d̲r̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲ is still quite controversial. Initially, doctors proposed the theory of “blood stealing blood vessels”. The normal umbilical cord contains 2 umbilical arteries and 1 umbilical vein. The umbilical arteries divide into left and right branches, and they are ligated in the abdomen on either side of the bladder. Patients with common leg deformities often have only a single umbilical artery.

In simpler terms, the legs of patients with this syndrome develop conjoined because their umbilical cord does not form 2 arteries, resulting in an abnormal blood supply. As a result, the fetus cannot get enough blood to grow. A fetus lacking nutrients will not be able to “grow” two legs independently. This theory explains Mermaid Syndrome but cannot prove it is the cause of the disease.

Another theory put forward by doctors is the theory of embryonic tail development defects. This theory holds that during embryonic development, defects appear that cause the child to be born with conjoined legs. Currently, scientists believe that improper drug use, viral infections, alcohol consumption, smoking, or long-term exposure to electronic and magnetic radiation during pregnancy cause high levels of adverse effects. different benefits.

With the development of modern medicine, mermaids have been able to choose to perform “split leg” surgery. Only 3 people with Mermaid Syndrome survive in the world: Shiloh is one of them, the other two are Tiffany Yokes (who lives in Tampa, Florida, USA) and Milagros Cerron (a Peruvian girl) .

Tiffany Yokes is a lucky “mermaid” who successfully “split her legs” at a young age and learned to walk. However, when she was 9 years old, she broke her leg and had to use a wheelchair. She was born with one kidney and is currently awaiting a kidney transplant.

In 2009, the popular American talk show “Oprah” premiered episodes related to M̲e̲r̲m̲a̲i̲d̲ ̲S̲y̲n̲d̲r̲o̲m̲e̲ ̲. Under the arrangement of the crew, two living “mermaids” Shiloh and Tiffany met face to face.

The two discussed the “split leg” surgery, Shiloh seriously asked each other: “Is life easier after ‘split legs’?”. Tiffany shared, “Yes, it can be painful, but I made it happen . ” While Shiloh thinks about the “split leg” surgery, Tiffany’s main concern is the kidney transplant.

Shiloh has undergone more than 150 surgeries, but when asked, she is always optimistic: ” I did my first kidney transplant when I was 2 years old“ . It was Shiloh’s greatest pride. Although Shiloh has the conditions to perform the “split leg” surgery, she said that she is satisfied with the present, having 2 legs is really not necessary.

Unfortunately, 1 month after the recording of this program, Shiloh contracted pneumonia and did not survive. She left the world with a serene smile on her face.