Support Natalie’s Scoliosis Journey

Hi! I’m Heather, Nat’s mom…

In March of 2022, we made the decision to put our daughter Natalie in a back brace due to her Scoliosis. At that time, Natalie’s curve was measuring at 24 degrees. We were told that she would wear the brace for 16 hours a day over the next 14-16 months.

On June 2, 2022, Natalie put her Boston Brace on for the very first time. We were extremely diligent in making sure that she spent the required time inside of her brace. So much so, that we had her sleep in it.

At a follow up appointment in April 2023, X-rays showed that Natalie’s curve was now measuring at a 38. We were in shock. We were convinced that the brace had done its job in holding the curve steady while Natalie went through her growth spurt. Despite the increase in her curve, Natalie’s doctor was very optimistic and although his positive attitude was comforting in the moment, we weren’t satisfied. We were told in the beginning that once a curve reaches 50 degrees doctors start talking surgery. That is just not an option for us, for her. It is an absolute last resort. So we started doing some research. We found that there are several different types of back braces and that one in particular has shown incredible results in patients with scoliosis. The ScoliBrace has, in many cases, significantly reduced a persons spinal curve. Even for those who started out with the Boston Brace like Natalie. The reason being, the Boston Brace is kind of a “one size fits all” deal. Whereas, the ScoliBrace, is more custom fitted to the individual based off of extensive measuring techniques. I reached out to the closest office that offers this type of bracing, located just a few hours away in Arkansas. The doctor there was incredibly kind and we spoke for several minutes about Natalie and her specific needs. When the topic of payment came up, he informed me that due to the “experimental” nature of this specific brace, insurance companies don’t typically pay for it. We would have to pay for the brace out of pocket, up front, and then reach out to our insurance company afterwards in hopes that they would reimburse us. The total cost of the brace is $5,000. We have two options. We can pay the full price up front and receive a discount, bringing our total to $4,246, or we can pay half up front and pay off the other half in monthly installments. The other catch, we would have to drive to Arkansas on a Saturday to have Natalie fitted for the brace and plan to stay in town for 3-4 days while they send off her measurements and wait for the brace to be made and shipped back to the clinic. Now this particular conversation happened about a year ago. Unfortunately, around that same time, Natalie’s health took a turn. As her body was going through some expected changes, we started to see some new and concerning behavior. Everything was put on pause. However, a recent visit to the orthopedic, and the fact that Natalie is no longer tolerating the Boston Brace, has us revisiting the subject. Natalie’s curve is now measuring at 40 degrees (give or take) and her doctor doesn’t seem the least bit concerned. So we’ve decided that now is the time to do something. Our plan is to drive to Arkansas the Saturday before spring break and stay there until her brace is ready. My husband Stephen has already requested that week off from work and with the kids being out of school, we thought we would turn the trip into a little vacation. There’s still the matter of payment though. Even if we pay the half up front, it’s still $2,500 that we just don’t have. So we’re reaching out to friends, family, and anyone else who might feel led to give. Natalie has such a huge following and people are constantly expressing to us how much they love watching our girl grow. It’s overwhelming at times. Asking for help never comes easy but knowing just how much some of you care for our “Nat Nat”makes all the difference. Thank you for loving her. ❤️