A dwarf bullied and called 'Mini Me' because of her size spent five years in agony undergoing a painful procedure - to make her three-and-a-half inches TALLER.
Sanika, who stopped growing at just under 4ft 5ins, is now proudly standing tall at 4ft 8.5ins - despite leaving her legs badly scarred.
Although 3.5 inches may not sound like much, for me it was the difference between standing out and fitting in - between hating myself and feeling confident.
"Growing up, bullies used to shout 'dwarf' and 'freak' at me and over time I believed them.
"But now, with my longer legs, I don't see myself as a 'freak' - I'm simply a petite woman."
When discussing her options with the consultant at Leeds General Infirmary, Sanika was told she could be eligible for £8,000 leg-lengthening surgery on the NHS, which could add inches to her height.
She said: "He explained my legs would have to be broken and pieces of metal would be inserted into my shins to add the extra inches.
"Apparently, similar surgery is normally used by people who have had their limbs damaged in an accident, like a car crash.
"He warned me it would be extremely painful, but told me it could add an extra three or four inches to my height - I knew I had to do it."
Nonetheless, it was another 12 months before the operation took place while Sanika underwent blood tests.
In November 2010 she underwent the eight-hour surgery at Leeds General Infirmary where metal rods were inserted into each leg to add the extra inches.
But now brave Sanika is on top of the moon after finally being able to ditch her walking frame and having her leg braces removed.
Sanika grew up knowing that she was 'different', though she was not diagnosed with her specific form of short-limb dwarfism - hypochondroplasia - until she was 19.
She said: "I was clearly shorter than other children my age.
"I would dread going into school because other children would push me around.
"The other children would call me names all the time.
"Other girls in my class were growing taller, while I stuck out like a sore thumb at 4ft 5ins.
"Everyone would call me 'mini-me'.
"It tore away my self-esteem.
"All I wanted was to be developing into a young woman and to have friends and a boyfriend like other girls my age.
"Instead, I felt completely depressed.
Now after a year of recovery and traumatizing pain I feel confident enough to step back out there with women of my age. Not just that I'm all set to find my fish in the sea."
