June 16, 2006
Yao Defen needs your help
We told you about her in in March. Now the latest on Yao Defen, the world's tallest woman, from Reuters:
Yao Defen, believed to be the world's tallest woman, has begun treatment in a Shanghai hospital to rid her of a brain tumor at the root of her gigantism.Yao, from a poor farming family in eastern China's Anhui province, measures 2.36 meters (7.75 ft), Chinese doctors say. That is 5 cm (2 inches) more than Sandy Allen of the United States, who is currently listed by Guinness World Records as the world's tallest woman.
Yao suffers from a large tumor in the pituitary gland of her brain, which has stimulated her body to release excessive amounts of growth hormone and made her bones weak, doctors say.
Crew members from London-based Scream Films, which is working on a TV documentary about Yao for Discovery Channel UK, along with Yao's doctors in Shanghai are trying to raise money for the operation, physiotherapy and general financial assistance. Please check out their website -- yaodefenappeal.org -- for more information and to donate via Paypal or bank transfer. All they are trying for is $5,000. Right now, they are $4,600 from that goal.
Their website has information that we didn't see in the news report -- critical information, at that. Speaking of the tumor that causes her abnormal growth spurts and which has caused her health to deteriorate, the website says:
But now six years later it has grown back and is pressing on her optic nerve. She could go blind in the next few months and die with in a year without complicated surgery.
Shanghaiist urges you strongly to give what you can.
Also on Shanghaiist:
Yao Defen, the tallest woman in the world
Photo from yaodefenappeal.org
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that's a big bitch!
she is tallest women in world im too much tall man in pakistan she fariendship me im 8feet tall man
"thats a huge bitch"
My heart breaks for this girl. It is soooo sad. I saw her story on T.V. and it made me cry. Why won't her country provide better care for her? China needs to step up and help this woman.
what a sad life so far for defen. i pray she gets the care she needs to improve her quality of life.
I was so touched by the documentary on Defen. She has had such a hard life and yet seems to be the sweetest person in spite of it. The doctors in China who have treated her since childhood and deliberately chose not to perform the necessary surgeries should not be allowed to practice medicine at all. If their concern over "losing face" supercedes their vows to practice medicine, then they should be barred from practicing until they can put their own ego aside. Defen has suffered needlessly because of them and their egos. Her medical treatment is about HER, and not their egos. And I would love to find the owner of the circus who beat Defen, left her in the wilderness for 24 hours, and stole her money and do unto him as he did to her. I sincerely hope that the documentary efforts continue to chronicle her surgery plight coming up later on this year. Seeing her healthy and smiling and happy would be truly rewarding because she truly deserves it. She has suffered enough and for too long.
how or where do i go to donate to her...i wanna help but i just keep getting sent in circles...help so i can help please!
"thats a huge bitch"
who ever wrote this comment is just full of shit
Just because she is a giant. Doesnt Make her diffrent than everyone else. So if you care don't make fun of her donate money.
i seen u on tv and i hope you ar geting better i fell sorry for your life story and i like to see u better
I just saw this on tv.
It is pretty disgusting. The one doctor, saying "We have the tallest patient in the world, we have to help her". Then they decide they don't have the money to treat her(in 20 years!?), and won't hand her over to a hospital that will right away.
I was incredibly moved by Defen's story. My heart expecially went out to her brother who obviously loves her and is completely helpless. I cannot even imagine being the Dr./Drs. who refused to treat Defen; I don't think I could live with myself. I would love to give to Defen, but the only sight I've found for donations says that it has already raised thier projected amount. If anyone knows of a place to donate, let me know.
I have seen Defen's story on TLC and my heart go out to her. May I just say " I am absolutly upset with people that would have the nerve to write comments about this young lady that are so negetive. I feel as though if you have not walked in her shoes and know her true story and where she as been. You really need to keep what you think to yourself. We have to think about others. Where are your morals and your values?
This young lady needs our help. You could very well be in her place". Certain comments should not be allowed! I want Defen to know that will be praying for her and her mother for thier health and for there finances. In all things be bless and Properoues. God Bless You.
Do we know what has happened to this woman? At the end of the documentary it was stated that she was due to have surgery in January 2007. This has now passed by many months. What is her current condition?
Do they still need money to be able to afford the operation?
I can't seem to find any more details or information from after that documentary was made.
My heart goes out to Defen and I pray that her condition has greatly improved since this documentary was made. I couldn't find any information on her operation which was supposedly scheduled in Jan 07 and I hope it has been performed successfully already. I would like to make a donation for her continuous medical expense to help her get better and if anyone knows of a place to donate, please let us know.
What a warm and amazing person for someone who has endured thirty-six years of illness! I hope her surgery goes well. To anyone who might make fun of her condition, let's see if you find the situation funny should someone you care about receive a horrible illness.
Yao Defen deserves to have a happy and full life. I pray she gets well and can do just that. This Gentle Giant is truly a special lady.
I can't express how mad the "big bitch" comments make me. If you read about her background and her treatment in the circus, those comments are shameful. The amount of courage that it takes that women just to function on a given day is more than a lot of us will EVER have to muster, much less daily basis. This is a 34 year old women that wants nothing more than to live a "normal" life. She wants to simply experience what most of us have, complain about daily and take for granted. "Witness" and "Lous Phisa"- I doubt either of you have ever put in a hard days work, or had to ever work for anything in your miserable lives. Your both insecure and get your rocks off by bustin' on other, less fortunate people. That much is painfully obvious with your comments. Your both weak, lack character, and those traits will ultimately catch up with you.
Has anyone heard if she had her surgery? I saw the show on TLC that she was suppose to have surgery a few months ago. Has anyone heard from them yet? Oh and whoever said "that's a huge bitch" is a GIANT BUTT CRACK!! Look up the term: R-E-S-P-E-C-T-F-U-L in the dictionary!!
If she would like I would marry her!
I would like to know how Yao Defen is currently doing? Where is she and did she have the needed surgery? I would also like to know how to get in touch with her. I would like to sponsor her financially to help improve her life. Does anyone know how I may reach her or her family?
In a country that is becoming rapidly wealthy, I think it's disgusting that this woman has to suffer because rich doctors won't do a little pro-bono work. All that unnecessary travelling she's had to endure, back and forth to hospitals, only to be poked and prodded then sent all that way home again with vitamins, it is woeful. Those doctors are greedy and selfish and just fein interest to get their names and faces on camera for free publicity.