Kenya

Hi my name is Intisar. I am 19 years old. When I was about 9, I told my mum that my waist was deeper on one side as compared to the other. She just thought I was maturing and so I was forming a waistline. When I was around 12, she noticed something wasn’t right with how I walked, stood, etc. She asked a family doctor if something could be wrong with me and he said he noticed my walking as well and prescribed an x-ray. That was when I was diagnosed with scoliosis. No one I knew had even the slightest idea of what scoliosis was. I was devastated.

Immediately I saw all kinds of doctors and each one had their own opinion. Some said it would stop if they massaged it hard enough. Others said I had no choice but surgery. Some said braces. Eventually, I opted to be braced. It hurt my whole body. I’d be so warm in school and I was even made fun of.

When I turned 14 the doctor told my mum the curve had increased from 20 degrees to about 36 degrees in just 3 months and so it would continue to increase with time. I had an S curve. After a ton of specialists and x rays, the doctors concluded that surgery was my only option. I had surgery at 14. Recovery was amazing. I met a number of girl and boys who had surgery and some had unfortunate cases.

Finding out about Curvy Girls was an absolute blessing and I hope to help kids and teens all over Kenya and with time Africa, who feel alone after being diagnosed with scoliosis.