Spinal surgery saved my life, and given me the chance to walk down aisle
MY SCOLIOSIS STORY Spinal surgery saved my life, and given me the chance to walk down aisle
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JUNE is Scoliosis Awareness Month. For those who struggle with the condition, it can be incredibly isolating.
It affects around two per cent of the population and, according to a 2024 study by ScoliSmart, people with scoliosis are 45 per cent more likely than their peers to feel ashamed of their bodies.
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Paige has opened up about her battle with Scoliosis
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Paige standing in for the first time after her spinal fusion surgery in October 2020
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
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By the time of her operation, she had a 53-degree curve
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
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She had to have two rods and 16 screws put into her spine
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
Meanwhile, six in ten are dissatisfied with the way they look.
Today, Scottish Sun reporter PAIGE BERESFORD, 28, writes about her battle with Scoliosis, which she was diagnosed with aged 20.
She tells how spinal fusion surgery saved her life and gave her a future.
I REMEMBER the first time I heard the word 'scoliosis'.
I was 20 and had gone to see my GP after a masseuse noticed my back was oddly shaped.
He told me he thought I had a spinal deformity and was referring me to see a spinal specialist.
Some days were so bad I couldn't get out of bed. I was terrified that this was how the rest of my life was going to be
I didn't take much in from that appointment, just the odd words stuck out — 'twisted spine', 'surgery', 'back pain'.
Almost ten months later, a spinal surgeon officially diagnosed me with Idiopathic Adolescent Scoliosis with a 38-degree curve.
It meant my spine had started to twist and was now shaped like a letter 'S', which is why I was in constant pain.
By the time I got home, my head was spinning. I started googling everything about scoliosis: What it was, how bad it could get and treatments.
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I got stuck in a spiral where everything I looked at about the condition seemed worse and worse. The pictures were horrific and everything looked so painful.
After a few days, I was totally disgusted with myself. I kept thinking, 'Is that really what I look like?' With every fibre in my being, I felt ugly, horrified, and so alone.
I wanted to cover myself up from head to toe, I wanted to shut myself off from people so that no one could see just how disfigured I looked.
I wanted the world to swallow me up so I wouldn't have to explain it to anyone.
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The risky surgery left a huge scar on Paige's back, which she is proud of
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
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Paige is now raising awareness for the condition
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
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Paige standing tall eight months post-op after the surgery changed her life
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
Over a few years, my condition worsened to the point where my curve reached 53 degrees. I was in constant pain and I couldn't get more than a few hours' sleep.
I also had a horrible rib hump, a shoulder hump, distorted leg length discrepancy and uneven hips.
My lung function had decreased by 30 per cent, and my heart had developed an irregular beat.
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.
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Paige pictured before her surgery with uneven shoulders, a visible rib hum, uneven hips and leg legnth discrepency
Credit: Paige Beresford / The Scottish Sun
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