I am raising awareness & money for the Scoliosis Association due to personal experience. 

At the age of 12 I was diagnosed with severe scoliosis (curvature of the spine). In one dance class, my life drastically changed. 

I had one shoulder higher than the other, my rib cage was twisted & one hip sat higher than the other. How had this all been discovered within a matter of minutes? 

My dance teacher saved my life. 

I was diagnosed with a 69 degree curve of the spine and within 6 months, I was laying on the operating table. 

I had under gone two major operations in the space of 7 days - total time in surgery was 18 hours. 

I had gone from being a normal, energetic & care free 12 year old to being in daily pain, undergoing life threatening surgery & wondering what my life had in store. 

I was in hospital for a month, I was schooled there. I had to learn to sit, stand & walk again before they would release me. 

I then spent 12 months in a back brace, missed my first year of high school & my friends didn't understand. I felt misunderstood & alone. 

Being the strong willed & determined individual that I am, I decided to go back to dancing (in my back brace). Everyone thought this was a bad idea. 4 years later, I got myself a place at The BRIT School Of Performing Arts. I wasn't going to let this hold me back. 

My dance career ended at 21 when I was wrongly told I couldn't dance anymore or I'd end up in a wheelchair (I only discovered this was wrongly advised a couple of months ago). 

Scoliosis has changed my life in many ways. There have been major setbacks, a lot of pain & a lot of feeling lonely & misunderstood. However, scoliosis has also changed my life in many positive ways too. The determination & drive I have had from people not believing I could do something, the amazing people I have met along the way, learning so much more about my body and what it is capable of, being able to be understanding and empathetic towards other individuals who face problems or hurdles & scoliosis has lead me down this path of wanting to help others. 

I am so grateful I have been given an opportunity to spread awareness & raise money for an incredible charity so close to my heart. 

Please donate as much or as little as you can, I will be forever grateful, share my journey with you & know that this is an incredible charity you are supporting.