My name is Logan McGill, the founder of Race for the Curve. I was diagnosed with scoliosis in June of 2009 while being treated for what I thought at the time was a pulled back muscle caused by competitive swimming. Scoliosis is an abnormal curvature of the spine that usually begins to develop at the front end of a person’s growth spurt and continues curving usually through the growth spurt. My curvature was 28 degrees at initial diagnosis and rapidly progressed to 39 degrees.
As a result of the severity of my curve, I wore a back brace at least 20 hours a day to help prevent the curve from getting worse. I am a competitive swimmer and runner, and I was scared this condition and treatment (around the clock bracing) would affect my ability to compete athletically in addition to the overall impact scoliosis would have on my life, particularly as a teenager.
I was lucky to receive treatment for my scoliosis at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Fortunately, the bracing seemed to work, and after about 18 months of wearing the brace, my doctor believes my curve has stopped progressing and I will likely not need open back surgery to correct the curve.
I believe it’s important not only to give back to TSRHC for the treatment I’ve been provided, but also to enable TSRHC to continue to provide its care to all children with orthopedic needs regardless of financial ability to receive such great care.
