A Twelve-year-old Texas native Alexis Shapiro has been gaining 2 pounds a week, every week, since a brain surgery left her with a rare disorder known as hypothalamic obesity. According to NBC News, Alexis now weighs nearly 200 pounds.
Doctors have told her family the only thing that might help her is gastric bypass surgery. But the family's insurance comes courtesy of the United States military, which believes Alexis is too young to undergo the operation. TRICARE and Humana military denied the family's request for the operation, explaining that gastric bypass is only covered under their plans if the patient is 18 or has achieved full bone growth.
While the family contemplates an expensive appeal, they've found hope for Alexis from the kindness of the Internet. A "gofundme" campaign to help pay for Alexis' surgery has exceeded its goal of $50,000, with over $71,000 raised.
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