In July 2017 we noticed that when our 11yr old daughter Fern leaned or bent in a certain position her back didnt look as it should.

The very next day we took her to see our GP, who referrerd her to our local hospital as he believed she had Scoliosis.Hearing the word frightened us as we had never heard of this condition.

As parents we wanted to know everything physically possible about the condition and do what we could to fix it straight away, although we were about to find out it wasn’t quite that simple.

We attended Ferns first appointment several weeks later and it was confirmed that she definitely had Scoliosis.

We were told Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that can twist the spine also.

We went into panic mode wondering what we could do.

We were then referred to a second hospital that specialised in Scoliosis treatment.

On ferns second appointment she had several X-rays done to see how severe her spine had curved, to our shock her spine appeared to show a similar shape to the letter S.

We were advised by the surgeon we spoke to that it’s a watch and wait situation.

Ferns curves were above 40 degrees and the hospital wouldn’t act until they were greater than 50 plus, at that point Fern would be operated on, by having metal rods inserted into each side of her spine.

For us as parent we didn’t want to wait and watch, so we hit the internet.

We immediately came across a clinic in London (London orthotics Consultancy)

Who were treating children with Scoliosis using a back brace called (The Gensingen Brace) alongside specialised physiotherapy for Scoliosis.

We had read several stories of other children who had Scoliosis, with the same degree curve as Fern, they had been fitted with the Gensingen brace and also receiving physiotherapy and they were improving, there curves had started to lessen.

After spending the next couple of weeks being put in touch with other parents and hearing there success with the brace, we then spent time discussing it in depth with Fern, as ultimately it had to be her decision as she would be the one wearing it.

Fern made the decision clear that she wanted to go forward with the brace.

Before we knew it we were off to London meeting with team at the LOC.

They turned our very negative attitude towards Scoliosis into an attitude of confidence and peace of mind that we could reduce Ferns curved spine without the need of Spinal Surgery.

Fern was fitted with her brace two weeks later, she has adapted to it as if its always been a part of her.Fern is a very intelligent, witty, effervescent young girl, who wears her brace with confidence.

The cost for Ferns Gensigen brace and Scoliosis physiotherapy is just above £3500 as it is not available on the NHS

We paid for her first brace in March this year by funding it with a personal loan, because of Ferns height and her growing speed, Fern is going to need a new brace by the end of this year Whilst we are still financing her first brace.

We would be grateful for any help we could possibly recieve towards Ferns second brace.