Scoliosis gathering calls for the need to know

Spreading awareness on scoliosis.  People with scoliosis together with their family and friends gather on the first-ever scoliosis gathering held in Cebu. (Photo credits: Kim Bertulfo Calimot)

By Franel Poliquit

  

“I was never confident of my situation. I do not even want to go out. People will just tease me and laugh at me,” said Gwen Aranas Ave after years of being bullied due to her condition.

During her elementary years, Ave was diagnosed with Scoliosis, a condition wherein the spine, when viewed through an X-ray, will look like an “S” or “C” rather than a straight line.

One way to lessen the bend is to wear a metal brace around the neck and the body, which Ave did during her early years. According to her, she would wear her brace to school and people would look at her “differently”. Her classmates bullied her and even some of her friends did not want to go out with her anymore.

 “It felt like the world is resting on my shoulder. I could not sustain it anymore,” Ave said.

Not until she was invited to an event, the first ever Scoliosis gathering in Cebu held last Saturday, September 14 at The Outpost where she met a lot of people having the same condition as hers.

The event, headed by Amanda Glenda Kiamko, aims to raise the awareness of people about Scoliosis and let people with such condition share their own experiences and be inspired by others like them.

“I organized the event alone because no one ever dared to do so. I want to help those who have Scoliosis like me because I know how hard it really is.” Kiamko said.

According to Kiamko, three out of five children have Scoliosis and it is very important that in their early age, they or their parents know what to do to prevent the disease from getting worse.

The event started at 4pm with a free scoliosis screening headed by the volunteers from Velez College and was then followed by audio visual presentations and a talk by Dr. Mary Jeanne Oporto-Flordelis, a Scoliosis expert.

According to Flordelis, it is a “once in a blue moon opportunity” to have an event where anybody is given the chance to know more about the condition.  

Now, Ave says she is “more confident” than before. She said the gathering helped her a lot especially in dealing with other people who do not understand her condition.

“From this time, I will be one in raising the awareness of the general public about Scoliosis and help those who have such condition to face whatever challenges they encounter because I do not want them to experience what I had experienced,” Ave said.