My own personal journey with scoliosis motivates me to champion this cause. Two years ago, at the beginning of 9th grade, I was diagnosed with scoliosis, and my world turned upside down. I initially felt alone in this experience and was afraid of the unknown future. 

Although my curved spine and back brace were visible, my pain was invisible. Through poetry, I set my pain free. I use poetry to convey and navigate my emotions and tumultuous scoliosis journey. Poetry has helped me to freely express my experience with scoliosis and turn my pain into something beautiful and relatable. 

A majority of kids in the scoliosis community experience feelings of loss, fear, pain, or grief due to their scoliosis or being bullied for their brace. Many kids do not have outlets for their feelings. Writing poetry about my scoliosis is therapeutic and has helped me to form my own way to grow from my pain. I want to give other kids the opportunity to repurpose their pain into positive power, in order the manage the emotional effects of scoliosis healthily. I am currently recovering from a recent scoliosis surgery.

Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. The issue I identified was the lack of awareness of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis and the negative effects of it, as well as a lack of knowledge on how to cope with scoliosis. My own journey with scoliosis motivates my desire to help kids positively cope with the emotional effects of scoliosis and give them the needed resources to catch their scoliosis earlier than I did. Solving this problem matters for my community because it is important to address issues like scoliosis and raise awareness in a tolerant way, so that people with scoliosis can feel heard and seen, and these important conversations can be held naturally. A compassionate, open-minded community can benefit those with and without scoliosis. 

The affected community, which includes kids with scoliosis, are key to solving this problem because knowledge is power. Scoliosis can be overwhelming and frightening at first. However, when you educate yourself about your scoliosis, you empower yourself and know how to take action to manage or treat your pain, as well as help other kids that are suffering. I want to inspire other kids to find that power within themselves to embrace their circumstances, be involved in management decisions, and face each challenge life brings one day at a time.

In October of 2022, I started the Finding Scoliosis Kindly (FiSK) project. My research was sourced from reputable journals and websites, as well as my personal experience & the similar experiences of others. I developed an anonymous research survey about scoliosis to raise awareness for early screening and empower other kids. The information obtained from the survey will guide me in developing an informational brochure for both families and children with scoliosis. My survey conveys a lot of information through engaging & digestible questions that the participants can apply to themselves, whether they have scoliosis or not. The survey’s online link makes the survey accessible and convenient for participants. They can easily share it, which further spreads scoliosis awareness. 

I also started a t-shirt fundraiser to support free scoliosis screening and encourage positive coping outlets in underserved communities in the USA and Nigeria through the Mezu International Foundation. My t-shirt fundraiser encourages solidarity and presents a movement of compassion. My scoliosis-related drawings and inspiring quotes from my poems about scoliosis are on the front and back of the t-shirt, as positive reminders of healthy ways for kids to view their scoliosis, and an example of creative outlets that they can try.

My project is making a positive impact. 100% of the proceeds from the t-shirt fundraiser support scoliosis screening & treatment in underserved communities in Nigeria & the USA with the Mezu International Foundation (MIF). MIF is a non-profit organization based in the USA and Nigeria started by my family. We travel annually to Nigeria for our medical mission, in which we provide free medical care to the people in the community. 

In the summer of 2023, I held a scoliosis seminar in Nigeria. I spoke in front of 300 patients & kids about FiSK and educated them about scoliosis. I screened 20 kids for scoliosis using a scoliometer & the Adams’ Forward Bend Test. The children felt empowered by their new awareness of scoliosis. Families were motivated to get officially checked by a doctor. 

I also believe that my project is an effective response to the issue because as expected, the results of my survey revealed the overall lack of awareness of scoliosis, its treatment, and coping mechanisms. For example, the survey revealed that 80.5% of participants had not been taught about scoliosis in any forum by their community. However, the overwhelmingly positive reactions to my survey also revealed people’s excitement to get involved, willingness to learn, and desire to spread kindness and awareness of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. The survey received 111 responses in less than a month.

The Finding Scoliosis Kindly Project has inspired kids to get checked for scoliosis. If they have scoliosis, it has motivated them to look at management options like bracing or treatment options like surgery. It has also inspired them to channel their pain and emotions into positive outlets. For people without scoliosis, it has motivated them to continue to treat others with kindness and stand up for kids who are experiencing bullying due to scoliosis. 

On my t-shirt fundraiser, a comment from a t-shirt buyer says, “You are inspirational! Using your own struggles to build hope for others. Maybe one day, we can all use our voices and stories to uplift others.” One of my objectives was to empower at least one person with scoliosis to feel that their knowledge has improved, and they have learned coping mechanisms and how to inspire others. A participant said, “I had AIS (Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis) as a kid too, and it was very hard. I never really talked about it and I am happy that you are!” Another participant made this comment in the survey: “This was an amazing survey! Very informative! I already had prior knowledge about scoliosis (from a school project and personal research), but this survey expanded on my view and knowledge of scoliosis. I'll definitely bring this to the attention of others and encourage them to raise awareness and support those who have it, too!”