spreading scoliosis awareness (ssa)
Before middle school, I had no idea what scoliosis was, and I had never imagined being diagnosed with this disorder. I always sat however I wanted, as long as I was comfortable. That is, until my dad, a physical therapist, pointed out my asymmetrical shoulders and bad posture which had always been unnoticed by an untrained eye. One random day after school in 7th grade he had me bend over, almost touching my toes, so he could take a closer look at my spine. There was no doubt my spine was uneven. In 2018, I started seeing a physical therapist who works for Kaiser Permanente.
I was diagnosed with a scoliosis curve severe enough for me to be recommended for a scoliosis brace. Therefore, I was referred to Align Clinic in San Mateo, a separate office that specializes in prosthetics and orthotics. I got my first Wood Cheneau Rigo (WCR) brace, a back brace made of thermoplastic, in late October of 2019.
I got my second brace in November 2020 and this past November I got my third brace. I wear this brace to school, but I take it off for PE, and I don’t wear it during lunch. I've always thought of the brace as a negative and a limiting factor for me, however, when I look at my old braces, I am reminded of my journey so far, and I’m motivated to be more responsible so I don’t have to prolong this scoliosis journey.
About Me
The More You Know
Hello! My name is Olivia, but I am better known as Livy. I graduated from Our Lady of the Visitacion Catholic School and I am now a Freshman at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, CA. I am very excited to be a part of the i2 program and I’m looking forward to these next few years.
Academically, I am interested in math and science, however my current favorite subject is American Sign Language. I find it fascinating that signers can communicate without talking.
Outside of my classes I am involved in some co-curricular activities and clubs. My favorite activity is student council. This is my first year on the council, and I am the Freshman Business Coordinator. I’m also a part of the volleyball program, in which I play as a setter, opposite hitter, outside hitter, or defensive specialist. I’m a member of SHC’s Kapamilya, a club that focuses on Filipino culture, and TEDxYouth@SHC, a public speaking and event conducting club.
Outside of school, I am playing in my fifth year of club volleyball at SF Elite. For club, I play as a setter, and we are currently in the middle of our season. The commitment is at least 6 hours a week for practices and sometimes more time for tournaments.
This year, my initial i2 project was to create scoliosis and scoliosis-specific clothing, however after some trial and error my project has shifted to spreading awareness and important information regarding scoliosis. I plan to create a website that provides information and scoliosis stories, and directs people to other resources, similar to a newsletter.