CATE POPOVA

dwarfism

Huge translucent eyes, angular facial features- this pronounced, almost mystical beauty of an adult woman, Katya, on top of a tiny body.

Cate never grew up.

Her height is only 82 centimeters.

“I don’t have any specific diagnosis. I call myself a Thumbelina. That’s because even by the medical standards, my height is too short to even be considered for dwarfism.

“She was born almost weightless. We were offered to give her up, but there wasn’t even the slightest consideration on our part”, says her father, Anatoliy Ivanovich.

There are not many variables to what may have caused this — Katya’s dad was in the military. Serving in one of the bases may have had a radiation leak.

“There was a moment when I understood that I will never grow up. In reality, it was a horrifying realization. I won’t be able to go for walks without an assistance. I will always stumble into people legs. There was a time when I completely gave up on myself, I was a timid scruffy tomboy”.

Right now everything is different. Katya is a well put-together woman with a queen-like glance, always manicured and with make-up on. She wears tailored clothes and carries herself with great confidence.

I actually worked a lot with who I am. I was afraid to go outside into the public, I was living a hermit-like life. At one point of time, I realized that I’m being sucked into this swamp more and more and I have to do something about this immediately. I basically grabbed myself by the scruff and started to try to socialize because I never went to school or a kindergarten.

Self-help sessions helped me a lot. If not for this help, I possibly would have continued to stay in my enclosed shell. It was a questionable step in my life, but I’m glad I went through.

We come to this plant to learn to love ourselves first and then everyone around us. We need to learn how to find joys no matter what. It doesn’t matter, from the smallest to large moments, just be joyful while you are alive. I am learning to do that.

I love ocean. I love quiet. Early autumn. I love crispy bedding. Candle light. Bubble bath. Roses. I love cinema. Books and loosing into its worlds. I love the nature. That feeling of anticipation of something good. I especially love to pack my bags for travel. I love honesty. Sincere and simple people.

This is what makes up happiness.