Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
DEVASTATING
Family reels at scoliosis in second child Fundraising underway for Turkey surgery
A MOTHER who experienced two shattering diagnoses of scoliosis in her family in just a few months has spoken about her family’s heartbreak.
Brenda Scott, from Carrickfergus, had been raising funds for her oldest daughter Emily after she was diagnosed with the condition earlier this year.
The Co Antrim mum’s ordeal began in March when Emily, 12, was diagnosed with a 50 degree curve in her spine.
In September, after fundraising more than £40,000, the Scott family travelled to Turkey for life-changing surgery.
However, they were dealt a gutwrenching blow last month when their youngest daughter was diagnosed with the same degenerative condition.
Ten-year-old Megan, who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism, is suffering with a thoracic 21 degree curve and a lumbar 39.6 degree curve.
Speaking to the Mirror, heartbroken Brenda said the family were “devastated”, saying they were all still trying to come to terms with the situation.
She added: “We were broken-hearted when we found out about Emily and then to be hit with a double whammy was just demoralising.
“I didn’t want to believe it to be honest, I was trying to put it to the back of my head but we have to get on with it for Megan and Emily. We have to be strong for each other.”
Brenda said she noticed a curve in Megan’s back when the family returned from Turkey last month and sent a picture of th e irregul arity to Dr Ahmet Alanay.
Within days, the family received the news it was early severe-scoliosis, prompting them to make the 3,000 mile journey back to Istanbul for further assessments.
Brenda explained: “It was awful. We had just come back from Turkey and we honestly thought we could put this chapter behind us and get back to some sort of normality.
“It turned out that Megan’s diagnosis was much more severe than Emily.
“We’re lucky in the sense that if we hadn’t have noticed Megan’s curve it would have got much worse.
“We really did think we were on the home straight but we’re right back to square one now with Megan.”
Specialists in Turkey constructed a brace for the youngster, with Megan having to wear it for 23 hours a day.
Brenda said: “We are incredibly proud of her for doing it because it isn’t easy. It’s a struggle for her, it really is.
“It’s very tight on her and it’s uncomfor table. It digs into her hips and
under her arm. It’s hard plastic, she can’t even sit down properly or bend over. “We are hoping that it doesn’t get any worse now but we just don’t know. This could be something that she will have to do for two years.”
Brenda and her two girls will return to Turkey in January for a follow-up to check the status of their condition.
She said: “It was heart-wrenching when they told me. I could do nothing but put my head in my hands.
“I was speechless when the consultant told me. I couldn’t comprehend that we would have to start all over again after going through all of this with Emily. “But I will because that’s what mothers do for their daughters and we are prepared to do anything we need to get them through this.” Having previously raised more than £50,000 for Emily’s treatment, the family are now in need of further funding to provide Megan with the same care. To donate to Emily and Megan’s fundraiser visit the family’s Gofundme Page.
I couldn’t comprehend that we would have to start all over again after all of this BRENDA SCOTT ON RECEIVING SECOND DIAGNOSIS