How We Started: Leah’s Story
Fitting in isn’t easy when you’re a teenager wearing a body brace 23/7. I was finishing my first year in middle school when I was diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis and had to wear that “thing” to school. Ultimately, I required surgery to correct the two curves growing in my back. On June 27, 2006, I had two titanium rods and twenty-two screws affixed to
my spine. My biggest concern was that I wouldn’t be able to dance for a year. How did Curvy Girls begin? My intention was simple--- I wanted to talk to other girls who were going through the same thing--- feeling alone, different, angry that I had to wear a brace, and worried about having to have surgery. After an all adult group meeting, I said, “I wish they had this for kids” to which my mom said that I could make my own group. So I did. At my orthopedic appointment I told them about my idea and they offered to send out flyers to all their “scoli” patients. That’s when the calls started coming in. I held our first group in 2006 right before my fourteenth birthday with 4 girls—one of which was me! At our first group we talked about clothes and I brought down shirts to show how to disguise their brace by layering tops. What do you talk about in group? We discuss things like how to tell other kids about your scoliosis. We give each other clothing tips. We talk about regular stuff that teenagers talk about. Most of all we support each other so we don’t feel alone. What makes Curvy Girls a success? It’s a kids group run by a kid! Some girls travel up to 2 hours to attend monthly meetings.
