Woman who refused to eat for first decade of her life dies aged 26

Yahoo

12-05-2025

A young woman who refused to eat any food for the first decade of her life has died at the age of 26.
Tie-Mae McCarthy had to have nutrients pumped directly into her digestive system while she slept during her childhood.
She was the subject of a TV documentary as Sue, her mother, searched for answers. She even travelled abroad to get her daughter help.
The mystery was never solved – though Tia did eventually start eating and by 15 she had a normal diet and appetite.
Her family have expressed their 'shock' at her sudden death, described the loss as 'unexpected'. Her cause of death is not yet known but further investigations are under way.
Tia was born 12 weeks premature and weighed 2lb 3oz. She also had a rare congenital disorder called oesophageal atresia, which meant her oesophagus and stomach did not connect.
She spent most of her first year of life in hospital and had to have an operation when she was three months old to move her stomach into her chest.
While Tia did have other disabilities, there was no medical reason after the surgery why she could not eat food and her case baffled experts.
Sue suspected it was a psychological problem that stemmed from the early months of her life where Tia stopped breathing multiple times and had to be resuscitated.
When she was seven, she featured in a 2006 documentary called The Girl Who Never Ate. Her mother took her to a specialist clinic in Austria that ran a controversial research programme, which included periods of controlled starvation.
When she was 10, Tia started to show an interest in food. The tube she had once relied on to keep her alive was eventually removed in December 2012 and by the age of 15 she had a normal diet.
Tia remained under observation by a dietitian and continued to live at the family home in Aldershot, Dorset. Tia was never able to live independently because of her disabilities.
Fin, her 22-year-old brother, said: 'There was nothing abnormal. She had a bit of a cough, but was otherwise well.
'Her mindset was a lot younger than her physical age, so she couldn't live independently or have a job but she had a very full life. She loved horse riding and she was really into her arts and crafts.
'It's a real shock to all of us that she's gone.
'Everyone loved Tia, she put a smile on everybody's faces. She brightened every room she entered and to lose her so unexpectedly has been incredibly difficult for all who loved her.'
Tia's family have set up a GoFundMe to cover funeral costs and have raised nearly £4,000.
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