From Shirts to Skins – Grady’s Story

Basketball has been a constant in Grady’s life from very early on.

The son of a coach, he learned to play at a young age and has played competitively for many years.

“Basketball is the biggest motivator in his life,” said Ryan, Grady's dad.

When he was 12 years old, Grady was diagnosed with scoliosis. Scoliosis is a curvature of the spine that is measured in degrees. Left untreated, it can progress rapidly, especially during growth periods. When he was first diagnosed in 2021, Grady’s curve was measured at 30 degrees.

In growing children, surgery is recommended if the curve exceeds 40 to 45 degrees. However, his family did not initially receive much information or guidance on how to treat it. As Grady continued to grow, his curve increased.

“The pain and challenges that his curve presented were making playing basketball almost impossible,” Ryan said. When he would play basketball with his shirt off, the scoliosis curve was very obvious and Grady felt self-conscious about it.

In December 2023, after doing a lot of research, Grady’s family found Shriners Children’s Portland and Michelle Welborn, M.D., an internationally-recognized leader in scoliosis treatment, and they were seen quickly.

“A minute into our first meeting, it was obvious that Grady was in good hands and that she was an expert in her field,” Ryan said.

Grady and his father discuss his spinal fusion surgery and return to the basketball court.