Healing with music

When Sol was 1, her doctors in Ecuador discovered that she had kyphoscoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the vertebral column in two planes. In 2007, when she was just 6, her condition was so severe that she needed to use a wheelchair. This was the same year she began treatment at Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Doctors and staff at Shriners Hospitals provided Sol with not only specialized medical care, but also the emotional support she needed to heal. It was through the hospitals' music therapy program that Sol was able to overcome many of the physical and emotional obstacles in front of her. Now at age 16, Sol can walk without her wheelchair and is training to be an opera singer.

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Believe in MAGEC

Tianni was diagnosed with infantile scoliosis and Prader-Willi syndrome, a condition that made it dangerous for her to undergo surgery. Her parents did a lot of research to determine the best options for Tianni, which led them to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Tianni was the first person in the country to receive the MAGnetic Expansion Control (MAGEC) Spinal Bracing and Distraction System surgery, a new treatment that required fewer and less invasive surgeries. For Tianni, this innovative method gave her spine time to grow, without repeated trips to the operating room. 

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Scoliosis superhero

When Katy tried out for NBC’s singing competition, The Voice, in 2015, the pre-audition judges never suspected that she was breathless by the song's end due to her scoliosis, a condition she was diagnosed with at birth.

Just a few weeks after her audition, Katy underwent spinal fusion surgery at Shriners Hospitals for Children to correct a 68-degree curve, a procedure that would save her singing career. In just two weeks, Katy was back on stage.

Katy now uses social media as an outlet to share her experiences with scoliosis and to help others. She documents her experiences on Instagram under the profile @Scoliosis.Superhero.

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