Silver Alkhafaji

Silver’s journey to becoming a Spinal Champion began as a teenager, when carrying heavy backpacks triggered persistent low back pain. During her PhD training at UCSF, long hours in the lab and at the computer intensified her symptoms. Despite repeated attempts to seek medical care, her concerns were initially dismissed—attributing the pain to simple muscle strain or the need for a new mattress. Symptoms worsened, eventually radiating down both legs with sciatica, especially after physical therapy based on an incorrect diagnosis.

After months of debilitating pain, an MRI finally revealed the true cause: L5–S1 spondylolisthesis due to a bilateral pars defect, resulting in spinal instability. Steroid injections and medications offered only temporary or partial relief, and Silver made the courageous decision to undergo spinal fusion surgery with a laminectomy in December 2023.

Recovery was challenging and nonlinear—from medication trials to PT setbacks but over time, Silver slowly regained function and confidence. By 2025, she celebrated a major milestone: taking her first post-surgery trip and rediscovering moments of joy she feared she had lost.

Beyond physical recovery, Silver found healing through writing. She launched a poetry blog that resonated with a global chronic pain community, ultimately leading to the publication of her debut poetry collection, *Growing a Backbone*. Her story is one of resilience, self-advocacy, and the strength that comes from embracing both science and creativity on the path to healing.