EXPIRED: 10/23/09 – Shiloh Pepin, 10, was a brave little girl. She was only expected to live a few days when she was born with a rare condition known as mermaid syndrome. Instead, it wasn’t her condition that brought an end to her life; it was a cold that developed into pneumonia earlier this month.
Being born with “mermaid syndrome,” also known as sirenomelia, meant that the little girl from Kennebunkport, Maine had only one partially working kidney, no lower colon or genital organs and legs fused from the waist down.
Some children who have survived sirenomelia have had surgery to separate their legs, but Shiloh did not because blood vessels crossing from side to side in her circulatory system would have been severed. She had received two kidney transplants, the last one in 2007.
Her story was featured recently on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and other national television programs. She also had her own website and Facebook page and was an inspiration to many.
o god, thats soo sad. i really had hope for her. she was sweet, energetic, funny, cute, and she didnt deserve ny of the struggles that this syndrome put her threw, but she’s was so happy. she never complained, or whined, or asked, “why me?” she was younger than me! imagine how hard it must be on the parents! bless her soul, buti know she’s in heaven, smiling.
yu were a brave and sweet and smart little girl when i ws watching yur shows on tv it was amazing how yu pushed yur self to do things and i like yur parents thats real good they their for the little angel may yu rest in peace love always monesha