A 380-pound girl with a rare condition that causes her to
constantly be hungry was crowned a pageant queen in Mississippi.
Anna Hankins, 15, suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome, an
incurable genetic disorder in which patients develop an insatiable appetite,
leading to chronic overeating and obesity, according to the National Institutes
of Health.
At two years old, Anna developed an insatiable appetite and
was diagnosed with the condition, that affects one in 15,000 babies born in the
United States.
"When she was little, the first words out of her mouth
were 'I'm hungry' and the last ones were 'I'm hungry'", her mother,
Jennifer told SWNS.
Throughout her childhood, Anna’s hunger has been out of
control. "We would get up in the morning, and [found out that] in the
middle of the night she had gotten up and made a whole cake,” her mother said.
The mother of two said she had to lock the fridge and
cabinets to prevent Anna from raiding them. "We would clean her room and
find empty food wrappers and candy wrappers — anything she could get her hands
on.”
The teenager from Louisville, Miss., is on a 900
calorie-a-day food plan but, because her body does not break down food
properly, she cannot lose weight. She currently weighs 380 pounds.
Due to her weight, Anna is unable to dress herself and needs
oxygen to help her breathe.
"I have Prader-Willi Syndrome and I get hungry a lot.
It can be difficult to deal with sometimes,” Anna told SWNS.
But one way that’s helped boost the teenager’s self-esteem
is by taking part in the Miss Amazing pageant, which celebrates women and girls
with disabilities.
"I love Miss Amazing. My favorite thing is singing and
makeup and hair," Anna said.
Anna first got involved in the pageant world in fourth grade
and has since participated in three events, most recently in November, winning
the state title each time.
Lori Brasfield-Sanders, director of Miss Amazing
Mississippi, told SWNS, "The biggest misconception people have regarding
people with disabilities is that they cannot lead full, engaging lives.”
She added, "Anna is an amazing ambassador; she is very
popular and she loves participating.”
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2018/03/26/380-lb-girl-with-genetic-disorder-that-causes-constant-hunger-crowned-pageant-queen.html
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