HOPEFUL: Rebecca Amass who suffers from scoliosis. Inset, a previous piece in the Telegraph about the brave youngster.
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A GROUNDBREAKING spine treatment has revived the shattered ambitions of a hockey fanatic who had dreamed of becoming a PE teacher.
Rebecca Amass, 14, of Yarborough Road, Grimsby, was just 12 when she was diagnosed with scoliosis – a severe curve in her spine, which she feared would ruin her chances.
However, after just four weeks undertaking a daily programme of muscle-strengthening exercises from Scoliosis SOS she now has hope for the future.
Scoliosis is a progressive condition which causes the spine to excessively curve sideways
It affects more than four per cent of the population and if left untreated can lead to fatal heart and lung problems.
Current treatment in the UK is an incredibly risky procedure which involves metal rods being inserted in the spine and fusing it solid.
Having always led an active lifestyle, people first noticed something was wrong when Rebecca was becoming tired more quickly and complaining of aches and pains in her back.
In a state of panic, Rebecca's mum immediately booked to see the family GP who gave them the devastating diagnosis.
Rebecca was told her spine was so twisted and contorted that she would never be able to stand up straight again, let alone play her beloved hockey.
The condition also left her in excruciating pain and her GP, believing her condition to be severe, referred her to an orthopaedic surgeon.
It was there she was told her ONLY OPTION
was to have an eight-and-a- half-hour operation to fuse her spine from top to bottom, which would mean having to give up her beloved hockey and any other contact sports.
was to have an eight-and-a- half-hour operation to fuse her spine from top to bottom, which would mean having to give up her beloved hockey and any other contact sports.
Rebecca said: "Scoliosis rocked my world. I have always been passionate about keeping fit and playing sports but when I started feeling tired and getting pain down my back, it was really hard to stay motivated.
"I struggled to keep up with all my practices and I lost loads of confidence.
"Everyone around me was really worried and it was hard because I felt like certain things were being kept from me.
"I felt like crying all the time and none of my friends could understand how I was feeling as they were all completely healthy!"
In a desperate attempt, Rebecca and her family searched the internet for alternative treatments and discovered Scoliosis SOS.
Founded by Erika Maude, who has Scoliosis herself, the clinic opened nine years ago and has since brought relief to hundreds of sufferers.
Rebecca and her family decided the treatment could not do any harm and if it meant she could play hockey again it could be life-changing.
Rebecca booked onto a four-week treatment course and the results were overwhelming.
Rebecca said: "I feel like myself again. After my diagnosis I really felt like my world had fallen apart.
"I just wanted to be able to run around like my friends.
"I felt like a liability, I would start a match and then have to give up after 10 minutes because of the pain.
"The thought of being normal again was enough to push myself and get some amazing results
"For me, having surgery was just not an option and it really wasn't something I ever wanted to consider, that's why I knew that I needed to find something else!"
For more information visit www.scoliosisSOS.com
REBECCA is not the first Grimsby youngster to bounce back from the brink of needing major surgery.
As reported, last year Laura Allen, 14, of Marklew Avenue, Grimsby, had feared she would never be able to take part in ttrampolining, after being diagnosed with severe scoliosis.
She said: "I'm not comfortable with doctors and I have a massive phobia of hospitals, so when I was told that I had a massive curve in my spine and that I would need to have surgery I was so scared I didn't know what to do with myself.
"It was awful, I wasn't sleeping and I was crying all the time."
Another blow came when Laura was told she would have to give up trampolining.
After travelling to London for the four-week treatment programme, Laura – who is now pain free – has not looked back.
She said: "It was the best thing we could have ever found. It felt like a massive weight had been lifted from my shoulder.
Source: Grimsbytelegraph , 30th March 2015
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