"20th Birthday, It's a Miracle": US Woman Born Without a Brain Defies Terminal Prognosis

A woman who was born with virtually no brain function and was given only a few years to live has celebrated her 20th birthday. On November 9 (local time), local media outlets such as the New York Post reported on the story of Alex Simpson, who was born in Nebraska, United States. Shortly after her birth, Alex was diagnosed with a rare condition called hydranencephaly. Also known as hydrocephalus or anencephalic hydrocephalus, hydranencephaly is a disorder in which excessive cerebrospinal fluid accumulates in the ventricles or subarachnoid space, causing these areas to expand. Most of the brain inside the skull is replaced by fluid, leaving only a small amount of brain tissue about the size of a fingertip at the back of the head.

A family celebrating Alex's 20th birthday. KETV

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Alex's parents, who had initially been told by doctors that she was healthy at birth, learned about her condition during a routine checkup two months later. At the time, doctors predicted that Alex's life expectancy would be less than four years. Contrary to these predictions, Alex made headlines a decade ago when she celebrated her 10th birthday, and on November 4, she marked her 20th birthday. Alex's father said, "Twenty years ago, we were terrified, but we were able to overcome it through faith."

Alex has a younger brother who is 14 years old, six years her junior. He shared that he is proud to have Alex as his sister and has studied hydranencephaly extensively to help her. Since Alex is missing most of her brain, she lacks the regions responsible for vision and hearing and is unable to respond to stimuli. However, her family unanimously agrees that Alex can sense and understand the emotions of those around her. They especially noted that when someone is stressed or in pain in a very quiet setting, Alex is the first to notice. They added that when someone leaves after talking near Alex, she quickly realizes their absence. Meanwhile, Alex was also in the spotlight on her birthday in 2016. At that time, her 10th birthday drew media attention, and her 20th birthday is now being described by some as a "miracle." Local media outlet KETV reported, "We hope Alex will be in the news again when she turns 30 in ten years," adding, "For some, Alex's birthday is a source of hope."

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