Florida

Hi! My name is Mae and I love anything outdoorsy, whether it's camping, rock climbing, hiking, you name it. I also like to crochet, and I love reading. I am in the marching band, and I play the xylophone and the saxophone. I am also part of Girl Scouts. I'm currently a freshman in high school, and I'm hoping to join my high school's rock climbing club. 

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was in sixth grade, but I got my first back X-ray at the very beginning of seventh grade. They immediately braced me and I had to wear my brace for about 23 hours a day. By the end of seventh grade, I was wearing my brace constantly; no brace breaks were allowed. A couple of months into eighth grade, we realized the brace wasn't stopping my curve, and my doctor told me I would have to get spinal fusion surgery. I got the surgery over the summer between eighth and ninth grade and am stronger and stronger each day! 

A support group would've meant a lot to me when I was going through my journey, especially when I realized I had to get surgery! All girls going through their scoliosis journey deserve a support group and now we can have one in Tallahassee too.