The Tribune

By ALESHA CADET

Tribune Features Reporter

acadet@tribunemedia.net

THE experience of living with scoliosis has inspired 12-year-old Gabrielle Rolle to encourage other children to always be strong, fearless and trust God to work it all out.

Gabrielle recently underwent a spinal fusion surgery for her sideways curved spine at Shriners Hospital for Children in Greenville, South Carolina.

He mother, April Fowler, said the surgery lasted about five hours. Special metal rods and screws were attached to the curved parts of Gabrielle’s backbone to straighten her spine. 

“They also had to use bone grafts to put over her spine, which will grow together with the spinal bone and fuse it into the proper position. Gabrielle had an 87 degree curve at the top of her spine and a 55 degree curve at the bottom, which means she has an incision in the middle of her back that runs the full length of her back,” Ms Fowler told Tribune Health.

She said she is pleased to report that the procedure was a success.

“That five-hour wait was the most nerve wrecking experience of my life, but I am so happy and relieved with the outcome. We will have to wait for her follow-up appointment on September 30 to have her X-rays done to actually see the correction of the curves,” said Ms Fowler.

“(Gabrielle) is simply very happy and grateful to have had her surgery done and to be able to put this all behind her.”

Although Gabrielle now has a lot of restrictions to live by for the next year or two, her mother said she is recovering very well and very quickly.

“Looking at her now you would not be able to tell that there was ever anything wrong with her back,” she said.

Ms Fowler said there are no words to express how proud she is of her baby girl, describing Gabrielle as amazing, strong and courageous.

“She makes me want to be more like her. I am honoured to be her mother. I absolutely love her spirit and I love her so much,” she said.

During the morning of Gabrielle’s surgery, Ms Fowler said she asked her daughter if she was scared or nervous, and her daughter simply smiled and replied, “Mommy, I’m not scared”, while hugging her emoji pillow to her.

Ms Fowler said Gabrielle actually expressed how excited she was about her surgery, and how happy she was about not having to wear a back brace afterwards.

“Before surgery when she had to wear her body brace, I would encourage her to educate anyone who would ask her what was wrong with her back; to tell them what the brace was for and let them know what scoliosis was, the causes and how it could be corrected if they asked, and they always asked,” said Ms Fowler.

She kept her daughter motivated by telling her to never to let anyone take advantage of her or make her feel bad about herself because of her condition, because she is a beautiful young lady inside and out.

“After surgery I simply reminded her of everything I told her before. She told me that she wanted her first bikini as an after-surgery gift and I asked her if she didn’t mind that people would see the scar on her back. She reminded me that I told her a while back that scars tell a story and she didn’t care who saw her scar because it is her story. We are going bikini shopping next week. Her two favourite things to do are travelling and beaching,” said Ms Fowler.

The care her daughter received at Shriners Hospital, she added, was so amazing that Gabrielle has been asked by the team there to visit next summer to speak to other children who will be having surgery and talk to them about her experience and what to expect after surgery.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped or contributed in any way to Gabrielle’s journey and it’s success,” said Ms Fowler.

“I would also like to extend a special and huge thank you to Dr Michael Wattenbarger, Shriners Hospitals, Dr Joseph Lewis, Velma Burrows and the Physically Challenged Children’s Committee for all of their help and support. Finally, I ask that persons please support this committee by making a donation if they are able to because they assist so many children like Gabrielle. God bless.”