Hi, my name is Audrey Ju, and I am 17 years old from Orange County, California. It has been nearly two years since I completed my three year-long bracing treatment journey. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was eleven years old, and two years later I was prescribed a brace that completely changed my life. But more than the physical pain and discomfort, I wrestled with a profound sense of isolation.
Each morning, I awoke in pain from the hard walls and rigid edges of my scoliosis brace, only to tighten the straps once more before going to school. There, I was surrounded by friends who could effortlessly express themselves through the way they dressed and moved around in comfort. My brace felt like a shackle, a plastic bulk that constrained me for twenty-two hours each and every day. This strict time requirement of twenty-two hours made me unable to give my all to my sport, track. I was devastated and grieved the sense of freedom I felt upon completing a race, a feeling unmatched by the weight I bore.
Three years later, I am still struck by my spine’s curvature. But these reminders have become more than just discomfort, they now serve as lessons in appreciating all that I take for granted. Accepting my diagnosis was the first step in realizing my potential for growth and development. Only when I decided to pick up my feet instead of wallowing in my loneliness was I able to transcend my physical limitation, my “can’t.” I began to move forward focusing not on what my brace had limited me to, but on all that I could do, leaning on my family and those surrounding me as my new pillar of strength. With their encouragement, I began to stretch my arms out to those around me, recognizing a community of younger peers who, like me, were braced and twisted. I felt compelled to make it known to them that they are, in no way, alone in this journey. As I aspire to build this system of support for others by sharing my story, I hope to become a resource for them, demonstrating that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel.
Just as a scaffold aids a building during its construction development, it is my deepest hope that you will come to trust that your brace will support you during this challenging time. It took me an incredibly long time to come to terms with my scoliosis diagnosis, and though I may not have realized it at the time, I can now look back and confidently say that I am grateful for such a challenge. My brace strengthened me from the inside out, cultivating in me a profound sense of resilience, allowing me to overcome this obstacle. I am now back on the track, once again dedicated to my beloved sport. I hope that after reading my story, my friends going through similar challenges will wake up tomorrow with a new perspective on their bracing treatment: embrace your brace, proudly wear it as your armor, and see how it can strengthen and empower you more than ever before.
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