Michelle, Macie’s Mother:
Macie has always been a strong, healthy, active, fun kid from the beginning. She was my first and I was so in love with every little move that she made and everything she did was so cute. Macie loves sports. She started playing softball at the age of seven. She picked it up really easily.
Boyd Farmer, Softball Coach:
I knew from the minute her very first swing that God blessed her with athleticism. Almost all of the girls that play with us at our level are pretty gifted athletes. Macie's another level. She's another level up
Michelle:
When Macie was 10, we went in for a physical with her doctor, just like any other day. We were having a great time playing ball, hanging out, doing fun stuff, swimming. And, uh, and then it felt like life just stopped that day, the day we found out that she had scoliosis.
Macie, International Patient Ambassador:
When I first got diagnosed, I was scared that it wasn't gonna allow me to play softball or any sports anymore, which was very intimidating for me because that was my life, that was what I did, that was my hobby, that was what made me happy.
Michelle:
You know, at that age, at 10, she didn't always wanna wear her brace at night and she would cry, "Mommy, just this one night, I don't wanna wear it. " And, uh, that fear became reality when, when they said the curve had gotten worse. And, um, when I tell you that I lost my mind the day he said he, that she would need surgery, um, I've never cried that hard, ever. All I can think about is all the kids I've taken care of after their spinal fusions. And that's what I thought, that's where I thought we were going.
[Bottom third left: Vicki & David, Macie’s Grandparents]
David:
It shocked me. I knew it was bad. I mean, it just, it upset me. It was unbelievable. Just the, the feeling that I got.
Michelle:
Uh, actually the first page I came to was Shriners Children's in Philadelphia and all of the amazing things that they had to say about Dr. Samdani. I gave them a call that day. I scheduled a consultation with him and within a few months we were in Philadelphia and I met Dr. Samdani and almost immediately knew that he was the one that was gonna really help my child. Since I knew that I had to do something to help her to where she didn't have any problems as an adult or in the future, we chose to do the VBT procedure.
Amer F. Samdani, M.D., Neurological Surgery, Chief of Staff Shriners Children’s Philadelphia:
So Macie was the ideal candidate for VBT because she had the correct curve magnitude, the right location in the lower part of her spine. She had growth remaining. And perhaps most importantly, it was a family that really understood what the pluses and minuses of the procedure was because this is a newer procedure.
Michelle:
When they told me she was finished, it was just such a relief. Um, finally got to go in and see her. She looked great. She looked so comfortable, so well taken care of. From that point on in the ICU and the next few days, the doctors and nurses were phenomenal.
Macie:
After recovery, I started getting back into sports six weeks after. And my coach at the time, my assistant coach at the time was a physical therapist and he was so excited to work with me and get me back into what I was doing before. I pitched in my first tournament of the season two months after my surgery and my coach started me in my first game, first inning of the first tournament. And I threw that first pitch and I knew that this had worked and I was back. And I think I struck out the first batter. And that's when I knew that I was back.
David, Macie’s Grandfather:
Without the Shriners working with Dr. Samdani, funding his research, helping him develop this procedure that helped Macie, it wouldn't have happened. You can't get anywhere without funding. And people that need funding that Shriners is helping to develop this procedure, they're working on other procedures. Um, it wouldn't happen. We wouldn't, we wouldn't have Macie back playing ball if Shriners hadn't funded the research for Dr. Samdani.
Michelle:
She can do anything that she sets her mind to and she makes it look easy. She wants to accomplish a goal and she sets out to do it and almost always does it even better than I expected from her.
Allison, Macie’s Best Friend:
Macie will be a good International Patient Ambassador because she has a great story and she's willing to share it with other people and give kids hope for their future.
Macie:
I am so excited to be an International Patient Ambassador for Shriners Children's because I want to give someone hope one day and I want to share my story because I wanna spread the amazing work that Shriners does. Without Shriners Children's, I don't think I'd be where I am today. I don't think I'd be able to play softball and have zero restrictions and zero complications. I think this was the best thing that could have ever happened to me because I can still go out and do everything that I ever wanted to do. With Shriners Children's being here, I not only have a full support system, but I also have a whole new life that was provided for me through them. And I think that's the most powerful thing that anyone can do for someone.
