In My Opinion: Girls diagnosed with scoliosis need to know that they are not alone

By MADDIE O’ROURKE

What did the month of June mean to you? School is over? Summer is here? Time to relax? For me, it means raising awareness for scoliosis, which affects about 100,000 Canadians, mostly girls.

June was National Scoliosis Awareness Month in Canada.

Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature in the spine in either an S or C shape, which can severely affect posture. It can be very painful and potentially impact the lungs and respiratory system.

If it’s caught early, before an individual has finished growing, and depending on the severity of the curve, the conventional treatment is often to wear a back brace. A back brace is a hard corset moulded to the body to prevent the spine from continuing to curve.  Another treatment option may be surgery when an individual’s curve is more severe. There are also scoliosis-specific exercises that can help manage pain and improve posture.

I got diagnosed when I was nine years old. My doctor recommended that I wear a back brace for 22 hours a day. Just the thought of having to wear a hard corset all day was overwhelming and scary at first. It was uncomfortable, but my body adjusted quickly.

I had never met anyone else with scoliosis, so I felt alone until I found the peer scoliosis support group, Curvy Girls. In the Curvy Girls group, I met others who were also bracing and experiencing similar emotions and difficulties.

I gained confidence and learned many great tips on how to manage my day to day life while wearing a brace. I am so grateful for their support.

I want to help those who are just starting out on their own scoliosis journey, so I now lead the Curvy Girls Toronto Chapter. I want all girls diagnosed with scoliosis to know they are not alone and can come to Curvy Girls for support.

A scoliosis diagnosis is not something to fear.

As we say in Curvy Girls, you may be bent, but you are not broken and you are scoliosis strong.

If you are concerned that you or your child may have scoliosis, I encourage you to speak with your doctor and get checked as soon as possible.

For more information, please visit this link: https://www.curvygirlsscoliosis.com

Maddie O’Rourke is a Monarch Park Collegiate Institute student and the leader of a girls scoliosis support group, Curvy Girls, for the Toronto Chapter.