Palm Beach Mom Collective has partnered with Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to create awareness about scoliosis through one of their patient stories featuring Audrey, a Palm Beach County resident, that was diagnosed with the condition, underwent surgery at Nicklaus Children’s, and now, lives a normal, healthy life.
Audrey’s Journey with Scoliosis
Audrey had been complaining of back pain and pressure. Her mother, Colleen, shares that, when Audrey was 12 years old, she received a scoliosis screening during a routine physical, and was told Audrey had scoliosis.
“This changed our lives forever. Audrey’s case was severe,” said Colleen.
After returning to our local doctor, we knew her scoliosis was complicated and needed the expertise of a specialist. Our doctor referred us to an orthopedic specialist. However, after our visit, we felt like it was not the right place for Audrey. We then found Dr. Stephen George, Medical Director of Pediatric Spinal Surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, online. We immediately scheduled an appointment with him at his office in Palm Beach County, at Legacy Place in Palm Beach Gardens. She clicked with Dr. George and his team right away and we felt at ease that our daughter was in the right hands.
The biggest takeaway from our experience with scoliosis is to go with your gut. If it doesn’t feel right, get it checked out.
What I would say about my experience, for families in Palm Beach considering care at Nicklaus Children’s, is that Dr. George and his staff are hands down the most amazing team. My daughter had an extremely severe case of scoliosis that required her to eventually have surgery at their hospital in Miami. Dr. George and his staff really kept us calm and informed through every step of the journey. We are so grateful to Dr George for saving our daughter’s life. He was excellent with Audrey. He made her feel like she was normal. His staff is so amazing and have the kindest hearts. We will never forget the experience we had with his team. They are angels.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Orthopedic, Sports Medicine, and Spine Institute is one of the nation’s leading providers of treatment for children with spinal conditions. The team is committed to providing the latest in research and innovation to children nationwide. Currently, The Center for Spinal Disorders is involved in studies to lower radiation exposure in scoliosis patients and a clinical trial for Vertebral Body Tether, also known as fusion-less spinal surgery.
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is the only center in South Florida that uses three-dimensional technology for scoliosis surgical planning. They offer appointments with pediatric orthopedic surgeons and spine specialists in locations throughout the tri-county area, including the Nicklaus Children’s Palm Beach Gardens Outpatient Center located in Legacy Place.
For more information about the Nicklaus Children’s Orthopedic, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, visit www.nicklauschildrens.org/Spine.
