Brooke Shields’ Daughter, Rowan, Reveals Diagnosis at 21 — Details

Rowan Henchy, the 21-year-old daughter of actress Brooke Shields and director Chris Henchy, has opened up about her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. In an exclusive interview with People, along with her mother and younger sister, Grier, Rowan shared that she was diagnosed as a high school freshman in 2018 after experiencing rapid weight loss, frequent urination, and vision problems.

“I was eating two meals [for] each meal. I was consuming so much food and losing weight even faster the more I ate,” Rowan recalled. She also mentioned getting a bad toe infection, which, along with her other symptoms, became clear red flags for undiagnosed Type 1 diabetes.

“It was a rough year all in all,” Rowan said. Along with her diagnosis, she faced the challenges of switching to an all-girls school and leaving behind friends from her previous school.

Now a college senior at Wake Forest University, Rowan has been managing her condition for several years. She revealed that she has a pump in her stomach as well as a Dexcom patch, a continuous glucose monitor that’s linked to a smartphone app.

“It’s a 24/7 job and I’m never off duty,” she admitted. “But at the same time, it’s at the back of my mind. It only controls my thoughts when my blood sugar is too high or too low. Regardless of whatever headache, you find a way around it. It’s something that I have, and it’s now just about managing.”

However, Rowan also expressed some frustration about her late diagnosis, saying, “There were times I wished that I was diagnosed at 5 because I knew a life without it.” Despite the challenges, she acknowledged the advances in technology that have helped her manage the condition.

Meanwhile, her mother described the adjustments the family had to make, particularly during Rowan’s early years with the condition. “I was feeling helpless because we didn’t know what to do and then she became completely autonomous with it,” Brooke said.

Rowan took on the responsibility of administering insulin at just 14, a task Brooke says led to rapid maturation. “She became very competent. She had to grow up quickly,” she disclosed.

Brooke explained that it took Rowan some time to feel comfortable with the monitoring devices. Initially, Rowan was reluctant to wear the glucose monitor and found the constant finger pricking frustrating. However, she eventually embraced the monitor, which allowed Brooke to check her levels on her phone without needing to constantly ask her daughter.

In addition to supporting Rowan, Brooke has been raising awareness about Type 1 diabetes. She recently completed a film, “Quarter,” which centers on a young woman living with the condition. Both Brooke and Rowan participated in a panel discussion about the film at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year.

Following Rowan’s candid interview, reactions from readers poured in, with many sharing their own experiences with diabetes. On Facebook, one reader commented, “Oh my goodness I’ve been a type two for 14 years. Oh boy……” Another shared, “My son was diagnosed with type 1 when he was 14. It’s a horrible thing.”

Over on X (formerly Twitter), a user revealed a heartbreaking story: “I lost my daughter to this terrible disease. Have your children checked at an early age. She was so beautiful. I miss her beyond words.”

Another user offered a simple but heartfelt response, “Prayers.” Yet another found solace in Rowan’s story, writing, “I felt alone when I found out just a year ago at age 48 that I have type 1 diabetes as well. It’s a very hard adjustment, especially at my age, so it’s nice to read about other people also getting diagnosed!!”

The deep bond between Brooke and her daughters has been evident over the years. At the New York City premiere of her documentary “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields,” Brooke spoke proudly of her daughters’ strength and independence.

“That last scene in the movie where they are confident and free—they’re confident, they’re being listened to, I’m proud of them speaking their mind,” Brooke said.

She marveled at how her daughters, Rowan, then 19, and Grier, then 16, were already beginning to find their own paths in life. “They are young women who are already beginning to find their own agencies. It took me until practically today,” she added.

Brooke’s close relationship with her daughters was further highlighted when Rowan called her from college to check in and offer congratulations on the eve of the premiere. Grier, too, showed her support by being there in person and wearing one of her mom’s red suits to the event at Alice Tully Hall.

Reflecting on the moment, Brooke shared, “[Rowan] called me from college and was like, you know, ‘Mom, let me see what you’re wearing,’ and ‘I’m so proud of you.’”

Now Brooke is facing the bittersweet reality of becoming an empty nester. In the same People interview where Rowan opened up about her diagnosis, Brooke discussed her mixed emotions as both Rowan and Grier, 18, headed off to college.

“I’m terrified!” Brooke admitted, sharing her concerns about the transition now that Grier was joining her sister at the same school as a freshman. Rowan humorously acknowledged her mother’s anxiety, saying, “Feelings are fraught. I mean, I’ve already done it, and she was a mess. I think she’s really busy now, which is good. Swamp her with work!”

For Brooke, the realization that her daughters are becoming independent has been an emotional experience. “All of a sudden they are not yours anymore,” she said. “When you realize they are their own human beings, you get to meet them again.”

Brooke’s adjustment to life without her daughters at home was evident when she shared an emotional video on Instagram shortly after dropping them off at college. “It’s not easy for the moms. I mean, it’s just so weird. So weird that she’s not here,” she said in the video, describing the difficulty of returning to an empty house.

Now reflecting on her journey as a mother, Brooke admitted that it doesn’t feel so long ago that she brought her girls home from the hospital. Although her daughters are now grown, she still finds herself nostalgic for their younger years.

She mentioned seeing a 3-month-old baby and realizing she would never have babies of her own again. Jokingly, she told her daughters that as soon as they graduate from college, they should give her a baby to raise—an idea they found amusingly strange.