From Good Morning America/ABC News:

Tiffanie Didonato, who was born with diastrophic dysplasia, a type of dwarfism, said she decided to undergo a controversial and painful bone-lengthening surgery and increase her height by 10 inches so that she could become more independent.

Didonato said she decided to proceed with the surgery after an experience with a teacher when she was 15. “She pulled me in the middle of the classroom, sat me on egg crates and said, ‘I don’t know what kind of disease you have, but obviously you’re a dwarf. Why don’t you tell me what you can and can’t do?’ I’ve never heard the word dwarf be called to me before in my life,” Didonato said.

The interaction was etched in her brain and shortly afterward Didonato decided to adapt to life, since life didn’t adapt to her.

The Little People of America organization doesn’t approve of the surgery because it sends the message that there is something wrong with being a little person.

“Most members of the dwarf community believe that no child should undergo surgery unless it is for a treatable medical condition that will improve her or his health. Limb-lengthing surgery, by contrast, does not address any medical condition,” the group said in a statement to “Good Morning America.”

Didonato’s view, though, is, “I don’t judge you, please don’t judge me.”

Didonato says she is pleased about the results and got married over the past weekend.

(With video.)

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 12:30 pm and is filed under controversial procedures, dwarfism/little people, public attitudes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post