PHOENIX — Every year in the U.S., an estimated 38,000 people with scoliosis have to go through spinal fusion surgery to correct curves in the back.
They’re often young teenagers, like Lauren Brinton, whose severe spinal curve impacted every breath she took.
"I was diagnosed in sixth grade” with scoliosis, Lauren said.
After her diagnosis, Lauren's spinal curve got worse and worse.
“I always kept my hair long to try to hide it and wore loose clothes,” Lauren said.
While she would try to hide her condition, Lauren said she would often feel pain with “every breath." She got so used to it, the pain while breathing just became normal.
But her years of hiding and denial would end once she was diagnosed with pneumonia.
“My lungs were not draining because the corner of them was pinched because my curve had progressed,” Lauren said.
Her spine soon had a 90-degree curve.
Lauren brought her cause to Dr. Greg White at Phoenix Children's Hospital, who said her case was rare.
“Probably once or twice a year we will see a curve type of that," White said.
Lauren’s back needed to be fixed through a 5-hour surgery.
“The first thing we did was put screws near her spinal cord,” White said.
The end result was 26 screws, taking away the 90-degree curve.
“It really was like hope,” Lauren said.
Lauren said she would grow three inches taller as a result of the surgery.
She said she is no longer afraid to do everyday things other teens take for granted, like go to pool parties or wear tank tops.
“It’s so simple to everyone else but to me it means the world,” Lauren said.
Just a few months later after the surgery, Lauren would be on the homecoming court.