Morgan

In my free time, I enjoy writing, reading, or doing something that keeps me busy. I participate on my school’s track team, which I love doing every day. I am the president of my school’s Builder’s Club, which is a club that does community outreach in the area and in my school.

I was 9 years old when I was put into a Boston brace to help maintain my curves from getting worse. Unfortunately, the brace didn’t hold my curves, so I was scheduled for fusion surgery. My Mom discovered VBT surgery and we traveled to three different states to consult with three different doctors. We decided to go with VBT after hearing all the doctor’s comments. The first surgery didn’t go as planned, since right after, I had some complications. I was required to have a second emergency surgery, and everything was fixed! I am now still recovering and being watched to make sure my curve doesn’t dramatically change.

I want to be a Curvy Girls leader because when I was going through the first steps of my Curvy Girls journey, I didn’t have anyone to talk to (I am the first person in my family that we know of that has scoliosis). When I joined the Detroit Curvy Girls group, I felt like I was really able to connect and relate to other girls who were going through the same thing as me. I want to be there for other girls so I can give advice and help them through anything they need help with. I want to be someone that girls can rely on and ask questions whenever they need to.

Madison

Hi! My name is Madison! I’m a high school student and I love history and art class. In my free time I like to dance and have been dancing since I was 3 years old. I’ve been doing competitive dance since 2018. I also enjoy listening to music, playing the violin, and hanging out with my friends and family.

My scoliosis journey began when I was diagnosed in 2018 at my regular yearly check-up with the pediatrician. The doctor noticed a bump when I bent down and she sent us to a pediatric orthopedic doctor. At the time my curve was 12 degrees and the orthopedic doctor suggested we see him in 6 months. The degree of my spine wasn’t so bad, so bracing wasn’t needed. After 6 months my curve increased significantly to 26 degrees and required me to start bracing with a Boston Brace. I wore it for 18 hours a day for 4 years and the last year I had to use a night brace. With all the bracing, my curve stayed at 45 degrees and the pediatric orthopedic doctor gave me the all clear in January 2023. I could stop wearing both braces and I didn’t need surgery. It was a long process with ups and downs but I persevered through it all!

As a Curvy Girls Leader I want to be there for other girls who also have scoliosis by turning this negative situation into a positive one. When I first found out I had to wear a Boston Brace, I felt very alone and different because nobody I knew or anyone at my school had scoliosis. When I went to my first Curvy Girls’ meeting in 2019 all of that changed and I felt like I belonged. By joining Curvy Girls, it gave me a sense of hope and confidence being amongst girls going through the same situation as me. I want to be able to help and give advice or support to girls who have similar or different scoliosis journeys. Also, be able to talk to one another about challenges and struggles you may face in the past, now, and future.