Now imagine completing those daily tasks plus extracurricular physical activities with a curved spine causing discomfort and pain. For Ali, a 15-year-old patient from Ohio, this was her reality. Then she found Shriners Children’s Philadelphia.
Ali is an exceptionally gifted athlete, both on the softball field and in the theater, dancing on stage. She also spends time raising and showing chickens in her barn. But when her scoliosis diagnosis was prohibiting her from doing the things she loved comfortably, she sought professional help. She tried physical therapy and bracing, but they were not as successful as she had initially hoped. After extensive research on the best treatment options, Ali’s family found Shriners Children’s Philadelphia.
Ali said, “When we were told that surgery was inevitable, my biggest fear was not the procedure itself; it was the possibility of losing the life I had built around the things I loved.” Amer Samdani, M.D., and his team eased those worries for Ali and her family.
Dr. Samdani explained that Ali was a candidate for hybrid surgery, an innovative technique that combines spinal fusion surgery with vertebral body tethering, a technique that uses a strong, flexible cord that gently pulls on the outside of a scoliosis curve to straighten the spine. For an active teen like Ali, this hybrid surgical technique preserves range of motion, aiding in the return to physical activities.
Dr. Samdani said, “Given how active Ali is and the importance of saving her lumbar motion, the hybrid surgery was the perfect option for her. She recovered beautifully from surgery, truly demonstrating her willpower, perseverance and strength.”
I would not be the person I am today without [Shriners Children's Philadelphia's] world-class knowledge, their compassion and their belief in what was possible for me.
The Shriners Children’s Philadelphia care team prioritizes the overall health and wellbeing of our patients. Ali’s care team connected her to another patient who had undergone the same surgery and had a successful recovery.
Ali said, “Talking to someone who had stood exactly where I was standing gave me a level of confidence and peace that no medical explanation alone could provide.”
Ali’s surgery was successful, and she has made a full recovery. She is back to dancing, showing her chickens and playing softball. Her experience as a patient at our hospital has inspired her to become a spine surgeon when she is older. She wants to help patients with the same level of care and dedication she was shown in Philadelphia.
Ali said, “Shriners Children’s Philadelphia did more than perform a procedure. They gave me my future, my confidence and my purpose. I would not be the person I am today without their world-class knowledge, their compassion and their belief in what was possible for me.”
