Scoliosis treatment has come a long way in the past several decades. When Jennifer Marron was diagnosed, there weren’t nearly as many options as there are today.
Jennifer was diagnosed at 14 and was first told she should wear a brace for 23 hours a day. Thankfully, she sought a second opinion and found a doctor who told her that 14 hours a day would suffice — and she was able to get involved in sports.
Ultimately, she became a member of the U.S. National Lightweight rowing team and proved that Scoliosis doesn’t have to prevent you from achieving even your physical dreams.
We featured her story in the latest episode of the “Get Back To It” podcast, which can hear here or wherever you get your podcasts.
“Not being afraid to ask for a second opinion is really important for your self care,” said Jennifer. “I think it’s easier to have a positive attitude when you’re able to find a path forward during difficult times, when you know if you work hard the results will be positive.”
Jennifer’s journey led her to the National Spine Health Foundation, where she will serve as our 2020 “We’ve Got Your Back” virtual gala Chair this weekend. Her passion for serving those in pain is evident in all she does.
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“Neck and back pain don’t stop with the pandemic,” she said. “I am struck on a daily basis by how many people suffer by some kind of debilitating neck or back pain, or know someone who is.”
She said often people feel fear or frustration in reaching out, and immediately tells people about the National Spine Health Foundation, so they can begin investigating their options to get out of pain.
“It’s so vitally important that the information available online be accurate, reliable and steer people in the direction of good decisions and future good health,” said Jennifer.
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We are so excited to have Jennifer as our Gala Chair this year and she was kind enough to write a letter advocating on our behalf! Here’s a peek:
“The National Spine Health Foundation helps people return to the people and activities they love, improves the lives of those with neck and back pain, and gives hope.
Thanks to their focus on unbiased education, as well as groundbreaking research, both non-operative and operative treatment choices are made known to all who are seeking answers for their suffering. In the current Covid-19 landscape with teleworking, distance learning, and disruption in our daily routines, spinal health is more important now than ever.
Neck and back pain don’t stop in the pandemic, they worsen. When access to care was limited during the pandemic, not only did spinal health worsen, but associated cases of depression and anxiety skyrocketed. The well docu- mented correlation between spinal health and mental health needs our attention.
Those who depend on us most cannot wait for ‘normalcy’ to arrive – we can give hope now! That’s why we have committed to taking our 2020 We’ve Got Your Back Gala to a virtual format this year, and our theme Out of Pain and Into Hope means more than ever.”
You can read Jennifer’s full letter here and register for FREE to join us this Friday, November 6th at 7pmET for our patient-centered virtual gala!
