Iowa

Hi, I am 12 years old, and I like to swim, read, and organize. I also love to cook and bake! Some of my favorite dishes are banana dutch babies, hamburger stew, and chicken pot pie in a skillet. Family and friends are the two most important things to me. I started being watched for scoliosis in fourth grade and in fifth grade, I was put into a Boston Brace, I continue to wear it 20 to 22 hours a day and hope that helps my back. One of my greatest fears with being braced was that people would look at me differently or treat me strangely. My doctor in Iowa City has supported my journey and even though it is a few hours to see him, we make it into a fun trip every time!

Creating connections with others is a big factor in my life. I love to share stories and learn about other people. When I was first diagnosed with scoliosis, I had a ton of questions. My biggest ones were not necessarily for doctors but for people that were experiencing the same thing as I was: what should I wear; when should I wear my brace; how do I come to terms with this? I think that we could come together and help answer questions for each other. More experience with the brace gives more and more creative solutions! Even though none of us have all of the answers, sharing ideas is the best way to come to an awesome solution! I want to help create a place where we can all share and learn from each other.