Belle was eleven when she was diagnosed with scoliosis. Her parents took her to their family doctor after noticing Belle’s body was, they thought, a little asymmetrical.
Despite her early diagnosis, support from her family, and regular visits to B.C. Children’s Hospital, Belle didn’t understand what scoliosis truly was until approaching adulthood.
Navigating an unfamiliar healthcare system
Her parents immigrated to Vancouver when Belle was five-years-old. “They speak English well enough,” says Belle. “But I think it’s still really daunting to have something so serious happen to your kids in a system where you don’t speak the primary language and you have trouble communicating, or even understanding.”
Doctors led Belle and her family to believe that scoliosis wouldn’t affect her adult life. “Now when I think about it, it’s crazy that somebody would say this because it has changed everything about my life,” says Belle.
In many respects, Belle has shaped her entire life in response to her scoliosis. From switching careers to accommodate pain management from both a physical and financial perspective, to grappling with cultural expectations that don’t serve her. Belle’s story touches on so many relatable truths for people living with scoliosis — particularly those from immigrant families.
“I think looking back as an adult, I’m like, okay, I’ve done a lot, but if my family had had the information they needed, it could have changed a lot of things.”
Accessibility of information
The ScoliClinic acknowledges there are many barriers to accessing treatment for scoliosis, which is why we strive to be as accessible as possible for families across the Lower Mainland and beyond. Through a wide variety of programming including our free to access scoliosis friendly exercises available on our YouTube channel, to virtual physiotherapy ‘Telehealth’ appointments, to our informational materials that we’ve translated into Chinese, Spanish, French, Punjabi, and Farsi — the Lower Mainland’s most spoken languages. You can also head over to our Resources tab where we host a variety of free content (like this video!) for parents of children with scoliosis, adults, and movement professionals, that are ready for you to check out and make use of in whichever way is most helpful to you.
If English isn’t your first language, let us know – many of our staff speak multiple languages at a conversational level.
Our team of scoliosis-trained therapists can work with you to modify aspects of your life in a way that feels right for your, and they can help you and your family navigate the medical system.
More details can be found on our FAQ page.
“I think what the clinic is doing is not just providing treatment for the patient, but they’re also providing the right circumstances for families to understand what they need, and you actually need all of those things to support a human being who has to learn how to live with, and manage their scoliosis.” — Belle