‘I might not have made it to Bake Off if I didn't have scoliosis'
Alice Fevronia is urging other teens for going for spinal fusion 'not to see it as something that is stopping you from doing things, rather use it as a way to find new things you enjoy'
Alice Fevronia sprung to stardom in 2019 as a charming contestant on the Great British Bake Off, where she advanced to the final only to be narrowly out-baked by David Atherton. Unlike many Bake Off elites who attribute their culinary flair to family, Alice's baking prowess was actually triggered when she was recovering from life-changing spinal surgery.
For Scoliosis Awareness Month, Alice opened up to Reach: 'I always loved baking but perhaps I would have let go of it as a hobby as I got older. School, exams and university then sort of took over. It's quite strange to think that if I hadn't had my surgery then maybe I would never have been on Bake Off!'
Alice was the first to realise something was wrong when she was a young teen: "I began to notice I looked a little uneven and that my clothes didn't sit the way I wanted them to." But she only told her mum when she thought she had found a lump on her back.
This quickly led to a GP appointment where her 'lump' was diagnosed as a rib hump, a tell-tale sign of scoliosis. The condition twisted Alice's spine into an S-shape, the more severe curve residing in her lumbar spine.
Alice continued: "It was a bit of a complicated journey trying to get the right help." Going from her GP to an orthopaedic expert, to physiotherapy, and finally consulting with a scoliosis specialist, Alice was told: "The only way to treat it at this stage would be surgery."
At just 15, she found herself on the operating table to get a set of metal rods to straighten her lumbar curve. During the gruelling recovery period, amid learning to walk, Alice found a renewed passion for baking.
She explained: "I had always baked as a child, my Grandma was an amazing baker so I was inspired by her, and I loved arty and creative things. But as a teenager I got really into sport, I didn't really have that much time for baking."
'After my surgery, obviously sport went out the window so I really leaned on being creative to get me through. Baking is also quite therapeutic as a whole (although maybe not when you're baking in a big white tent) so it was something I could focus on. I also completely lost my appetite after my surgery and lost a lot of weight, so it helped to focus on food.'
But baking did not solve all of her problems at the time: 'I spent years following the surgery hating what I saw in the mirror. I thought the surgery would magically fix everything, so I struggled with still having uneven ribs and a slight curve. I also hated my scar. But as I got older I just got over it and realised that it doesn't really matter as long as I'm healthy, and I can't change it, so there's no point stressing.
'Nowadays there's very little that I can't do because of my spine. I don't think you would really notice I have scoliosis now unless you saw my scar, or knew what you were looking for.'
In hindsight, Alice believes her scoliosis "must have been quite obvious" but her family simply did not know what to look for. This is the key message behind this year's SSR awareness campaign, which promotes the ABCD method of checking for scoliosis.
Alice added: "I wish that more people knew how to spot the early signs. If I had heard about it as a child, maybe I could have asked for help earlier."
The Bake Off celebrity, who is also gearing up for the charity's sold out event in London this weekend, reflects on two decades since her surgery and shares four crucial tips for those facing a similar journey:
'Speak to other people who have been through the same thing. Don't be afraid to reach out to SSR for support, and ask as many questions as you can.
'Get all the facts about what will happen after the surgery. I didn't know I would be wearing such a huge back brace and it took me a while to get used to the idea (and to find clothes that fit).
'Plan small, achievable things to look forward to in the first few weeks after your surgery; movie nights, friends coming to visit, or things to bake or cook.
'Try not to see it as something that is stopping you from doing things, rather use it as a way to find new things you enjoy. You might not be able to do sport, but maybe this is the time to learn the piano, or start baking!'
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Not to mention, I was taking so many painkillers, opioids and anti-inflammatories that doctors were worried about the long-term effects on my liver and kidneys. If I stood too long or went on a walk, I'd be in unbearable pain. Some days were so bad I couldn't get out of bed. What is Scoliosis and whaat are the symptoms? Scoliosis is where the spine twists and curves to the side. It can affect people of any age, from babies to adults, but most often starts in children aged 10 to 15. Signs of scoliosis include: A visibly curved spine Leaning to one side Uneven shoulders One shoulder or hip sticking out Ribs sticking out on one side Clothes not fitting well Back pain Treatment for scoliosis depends on your age, how severe the curve is, and whether it's likely to get worse with time. In around 8 out of every 10 cases, the cause of scoliosis is unknown. This is called idiopathic scoliosis. Idiopathic scoliosis cannot be prevented and is not thought to be linked to things such as bad posture, exercise or diet. Your genes may make you more likely to get it though, as it sometimes runs in families. Credit: NHS I was terrified that this was how the rest of my life was going to be. So when doctors said I qualified for spinal fusion surgery, I jumped at it. This was a major, life-changing surgery that involved inserting two metal rods and 16 screws into my back to stabilise my spine. My family were terrified and understandably so. It had some scary side effects, including the big risk of spinal cord damage, which could have left me in a wheelchair for the rest of my life, or even dead. It was so scary that when I met my now-fiancé two weeks before going under the knife, I warned him he might not want to get attached in case the worst happened. Learn to walk again But I knew I had to do it, and so I had the surgery in October 2020 when I was 24. Since it was during the Covid pandemic, only one person, my mum, was allowed to see me. This was heartbreaking for my sister and my dad, especially when I was taken to the ICU and my body began to shut down because I was forgetting to breathe. Having the surgery was the best decision I've ever made. It didn't just fix my spine, it also saved my life and gave me my future back After a rough few days, I was taken to a spinal ward where I had to learn how to stand and walk again, but the difference almost overnight was incredible. Despite the post-op pain at first, my shoulder hump had disappeared and I was two inches taller. It was a long recovery at home, but my amazing family helped me through and supported me every step of the way. If there's anything I've learned, it's that we all need someone to talk to, whether that's family, friends, a professional, or a charity like Scoliosis Support and Research. Princess Eugenie: Scar's a mark of honour PRINCESS Eugenie has revealed she embraces her scoliosis scar as a 'mark of honour' after undergoing surgery as a child. The 34-year-old initially felt a 'sense of shame' over the lasting mark but said mum Sarah Ferguson taught her to be proud of it. The princess went under the knife aged 12 after the Duchess of York noticed the curvature in her spine. In an Instagram post, she revealed: 'I thank her so much for that and thank her for the confidence to be proud of my scar. 'She removed all the stigma around having scoliosis for me and it took all the fear out of being different at a young age. 'I am forever grateful and wish everyone to be proud of their scars.' In 2002, Eugenie's eight-hour operation saw her have rods inserted into her spine. She spent three days in intensive care, a week on a spinal ward, and a further six days in a wheelchair before she could walk. In the months that followed, the young royal needed help to turn in bed and had to wear a brace. While Eugenie admits to feeling a 'sense of shame' over her inability to wash or dress herself at the time, she learned to love the scar down her back. The princess's wedding dress in 2018 even displayed the scar at the top of her back. Ahead of the ceremony, where she wed Jack Brooksbank, she said it was important to show 'people your scars'. She described it as a 'lovely way to honour the people who looked after me and a way of standing up for young people through this'. She added: 'I think you can change the way beauty is, and you can show people your scars and I think it's really special to stand up for that.' Eugenie is patron of Horatio's Garden, which helps nurture the wellbeing of people after spinal injury by creating gardens in NHS spinal injury centres. I saw a post on Scoliosis Warriors Facebook group which read: 'It's amazing in this age with social media we can help others daily with support and letting them know they're not the only ones dealing with struggles. There is strength in numbers.' Five years on from my surgery, I'm no longer in any pain, I don't take any medication, I have almost a full range of movement, never struggle to sleep, and my back is stronger than ever. I'm now 28 and healthy with my dream job, and I'm about to get married to a man who loves me as much as he is proud of me for what I have had to go through. And I have no limitations or worries about the future. I've also learned to love my body, and I'm proud to show off my huge scar. Having the surgery was the best decision I've ever made. It didn't just fix my spine, it also saved my life and gave me my future back. 9 Paige pictured before her surgery with uneven shoulders, a visible rib hum, uneven hips and leg legnth discrepency Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
