Brooke Shields Daughter, Rowan, Reveals Diagnosis at 21

Rowan Henchy recently opened up about a life-changing health diagnosis she received at just 14, sharing the challenges she’s faced and how she’s managing it today.

Brooke Shields and Rowan Henchy attending the special screening of “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation” in East Hampton, New York, on July 8, 2018 | Source: Getty Images

“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.

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.

Rowan Henchy in a swimsuit and holding a drink, from a post dated May 2024 | Source: Instagram/brookeshields

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 Shields and her daughter Rowan Henchy at the premiere of “Spirited” in New York City on November 7, 2022 | Source: Getty Images

Brooke Shields and Rowan Henchy at the 27th Annual White House Correspondents’ Weekend Garden Brunch on April 30, 2022 in Washington, D.C. | Source: Getty Images

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.”

Brooke Shields and Rowan Henchy posing at the backstage of the Edgar Allan Poe musical “Nevermore” at The New World Stages on January 25, 2015 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

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.”

Brooke Shields, Rowan Henchy and her father Chris Henchy from a post dated May 16, 2024 | Source: Instagram/brookeshields

Rowan Henchy at the beach, from a post in May 2024 | Source: Instagram/brookeshields

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.

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.

Grier Henchy and Brooke Shields at the premiere of “Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” at Alice Tully Hall on March 29, 2023 in New York City | Source: Getty Images

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.

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.