Yao Defen was born in 1972 in China and was considered for years the tallest woman in the world, reaching nearly 2.36 meters in height.
Her excessive growth spurt was caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland, which caused her to produce an excessive amount of growth hormones.
Coming from a humble family, she lived much of her life in difficult conditions and with health problems resulting from her gigantism.
The bad thing is that despite her international fame, she never received adequate medical care for years. However, this pain and these limitations never changed her: many people who knew her highlighted her calm and humble character.
Her story also helped bring visibility to gigantism and the importance of access to proper medical treatment.
In some way, Yao raised awareness about how rare diseases can profoundly affect a person’s life when there is not enough support.
Defen left this world in 2012, at 40 years old.