Scoliosis: Carrickfergus family hoping to raise £40k towards ‘critical’ spinal operation for daughter (11)

The family of a young Carrickfergus girl are hoping to raise £40,000 so that she can undergo urgent spinal surgery abroad.
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Larne Grammar School pupil Megan Scott (11) was last year diagnosed with the spinal condition scoliosis.

Causing a sideways curve of the spine, scoliosis most often starts in children aged 10-15.

While it can be treated with a back brace, occasionally spinal fusion surgery is required.

The family of Megan Scott are fundraising for the Larne Grammar pupil to undergo spinal surgery in Turkey.The family of Megan Scott are fundraising for the Larne Grammar pupil to undergo spinal surgery in Turkey.
The family of Megan Scott are fundraising for the Larne Grammar pupil to undergo spinal surgery in Turkey.

Most cases of the condition have no known cause; however, it can sometimes run in families, according to the NHS.

Megan’s older sister, Emily, had previously received surgery for scoliosis in Istanbul after facing significant waiting lists for an operation at home.

Megan’s diagnosis, which came only days after her sister’s procedure, was initially managed with a back brace.

But despite this preventative measure, the Scott family recently discovered that the degree of curvature in her spine had worsened.

Facing a similarly long wait for surgery, they decided to pursue the same process of treatment abroad as they had for Emily.

The girls’ mum, Brenda explained: “Turkey has been on the red list for a long time, so it was only at the end of September we where able to get back to Istanbul for a follow up with the consultant for both girls.

“Megan had an X-ray at my request at the beginning of August at Musgrave, which showed her [spinal] curve sitting at 35 degrees, but when we went back to Turkey last week, her curve had increased to 46.5 degrees within that time which was very upsetting to find out.

“We had hoped as it had stayed stable for so long that we could avoid surgery.”

The latest prognosis means Megan faces the prospect of a corrective operation known as VBT, which takes advantage of future growth to bring about further correction over time.

The family had begun fundraising for the surgery, alongside Emily’s ongoing medical costs, last year while waiting to see if the back brace would be sufficient for Megan.

Over £8000 has been raised so far.

“The surgery alone costs £47,500, with MRI, X-ray costs, flights and accommodation top of this,” Brenda added. “As this is time critical we are hoping to travel to Istanbul on Boxing Day to have the surgery.”

To support the fundraising appeal, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/brenda-scott

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