GLOBALLY, it is estimated that between 12 and 16 million people suffer from scoliosis — a medical condition which causes a curvature of the spine, and it is also said that two to three per cent of each population has the disease.

Locally, that would leave approximately 90,000 people affected, and from that number roughly 10 per cent of people would require surgery.

But, in light of the demand for corrective surgeries locally and the difficulty Jamaica’s health-care facilities face with assisting these patients, two foundations, namely the Duncan Tree Foundation and the ScotiaFoundation, have devoted a large portion of their resources to help provide corrective scoliosis surgeries to local patients — particularly children and adolescents.

Ouida Duncan, president and chair of Duncan Tree Foundation, told the Jamaica Observer that she formed the foundation in 2008 to bring access to health care to underserved communities and access to surgeries that would have been unavailable.

“If we did not bring in the donated implants, spinal cord monitoring and surgical expertise, there are many people who probably could not get their surgeries done,” Duncan said.

Duncan’s nine-member team, which was in the island from June 16 to 21, shipped 12 to 16 crates of implants at a retail value of US$5.2 million, which were and will be used in patients who need corrective surgery.

She explained: “The implants are needed to correct the spine. There are currently over 200 young people on a surgical waiting list at Kingston Public Hospital (KPH) who can’t otherwise afford corrective spine surgery. If they were to pay for the surgery in Jamaica — because health care is free — it would cost anywhere between JMD$500,000 to $1,000,000 if they were to buy the implants. In the United States, insurance would pay US$150,000 to $300,000, so it’s expensive.”

Duncan added that the team consisted of two representatives from Medtronics who donate all the implants and instruments used in the surgery, two representatives from Biotronics who do neuro-monitoring of the spine in surgery to inform the surgeon to make adjustments to ensure the patient is not injured, two surgeons — Dr Kenneth Paonessa and Dr Fred Hess, Duncan and her daughter Christina and their photographer.

For Duncan, the fulfilment is indescribable as it’s an act of love that has helped young girls who suffer from the disease regain their confidence after surgery, and for some — giving them the ability to make friends.

As for stretching her hands, the foundation assists the Bustamante Hospital for Children in the spring, Cornwall Regional Hospital in autumn, and KPH twice a year during summer.

Moreover, the ScotiaFoundation last Friday selected eight corrective surgery recipients from the same waiting list at KPH, who will receive surgeries this summer.

This year’s beneficiaries are Deborah Coleman, Seleena O’Meally, Travis Rowe, Natasha Blidgen, Sejay Salesman, Eleena Walker, Shelbi Walker, and Jonathan Johnson.

According to Joylene Griffiths Irving, executive director, ScotiaFoundation, Scotiabank funded the first scoliosis surgery in 2006 when it provided assistance to 12-year-old student Nichola Noble from St Mary after her plight was highlighted by the media. At that time, the Bank contributed $486,000 to purchase the screws and rods for her surgery. In 2008, the foundation created the Scoliosis and Spine Care project with a fund of $7.5 million.

As part of this programme the bank forged a partnership with Medical Technologies Ltd, which provides the implants, screws and rods at a discounted cost, enabling the continuation of the programme over the years without significant increase in cost.

Every year, the ScotiaFoundation Scoliosis and Spine Care programme assists approximately eight children. Surgery takes place during the summer to accommodate recovery in time for the resumption of school in September.

Since 2008, some 57 children have benefited from the corrective surgery and Dr Ian Neil, head of the Orthopaedic Clinic at KPH, said that each surgery can last up to 12 hours and involves the placement of up to 22 pedicle screws in order to help straighten the spine.

He added: “There are close to 400 children on the waiting list. The aim is to reduce this number by inviting international doctors to partner with the KPH so that we can conduct more surgeries.”

Dr Neil added that scoliosis is a ‘c’- or an ‘s’-shaped curvature of the spine often seen in adolescents, which causes them to be bent over, or causes one shoulder to appear much higher and more pronounced than the other.

He noted that adolescent scoliosis is most common in Jamaica, affecting teenagers between the ages of 10 to 16 years, causing patients to experience severe pain and respiratory complications, and are unable to participate in normal activities including attending school.

When the Sunday Observer spoke with another member of Dr Neil’s team, orthopaedic surgeon Dr Andrew Bogle, he said doing the surgeries enables a difference in the life of these patients.

“Emotionally and psychologically it impacts these individuals who primarily are females. It addresses their psycho-social issues to improve their outlook on life,” he said.

Dr Bogle explained that after surgery, the patient’s first reaction is that he is taller, no longer in pain and the deformity is no longer pronounced.

But even with the help they receive at KPH, Dr Neil explained that the care of spine patients need to be brought to the fore as it is labour-intensive, expensive and in need of more support.

“We have over 200 patients waiting for surgeries. We get to do 30 and 40 cases a year, and we see 50 and 80 patients a year. There’s always a backlog,” he said. “These children wait three, four years before they get surgery and live with low self-esteem, disfigurement of the body and pain. I believe every patient should make a contribution to their health care, but funds need to be developed and beefed up with the help of the banks, schools, colleges, and the high school alumnis. Many of them are from high school and colleges, every bit would contribute to development of the spine care programme.”

With regards to the long waiting times, however, senior medical officer at KPH, Dr Natalie Whylie said that there’s a lot of demand in terms of service for trauma and as a doctor you have to prioritise care.

“We can’t spare any patient or scoliosis patients who are urgent, but the situation is not life and death, we have to prioritise our care. If you come with trauma, we use resources to save your life. If you come with cancer you’re seen in two weeks, but if you come with scoliosis, we have to triage (select based on urgency) and prioritise,” she said.

However, to further understand how scoliosis patients recover after surgery, we spoke with a post-operation patient, Kristen Richards, and her father Wilbert Richards, who were in high spirits following her surgery on July 16.

Richards said that when his daughter was diagnosed in 2011 she had been complaining about severe back pain, which he thought was a result of her menses. However, the pain prolonged long after her menstrual cycle ended, which made him become worrisome. After taking her to have the back x-rayed, the curvature was found near her hip and after months of therapy, Richards said it gradually got worse.

“When it affected her at home I would get really scared. Everything she feel I feel, inside I feel everything. I try to be there, do everything I can to comfort her, but it’s a ticklish situation, very touching to know your child is raging for pain. You feel it as well,” he said.

He added that prior to the surgery she couldn’t move, climb a staircase or walk with ease.

“When the pain got to her you couldn’t even hold her, as it made it worse. You just had to watch her. Many times the position you left her in is the same position you’d find her in the next morning. She couldn’t move. That was the severity of the problem,” he said.

Luckily for Richards, he was able to have her surgical costs covered by his insurance, which took care of 80 per cent, and the other 20 per cent was made available through what Dr Whylie explained was a compassionate fund at the Ministry of Health.

Now Kristen, who is also a dancer and president of the Culture Club at her school, when asked about her confidence to walk normally and comfortably again, said she has no doubt that all will be perfect within a matter of days.

“I can walk now, but not too much pressure. Sometimes I might feel a bit of pain, but with the medication and rest I’m okay,” she said after walking from her wheelchair to the waiting area of the hospital to speak with the news team. “I will be able to once again participate in the JCDC festival competitions and do what I enjoy.”

For her father, it’s about being able to see her without pain and recuperating properly. He also expressed his gratitude to the team of doctors at KPH for their help.

“I am happy and pleased. Thanks to the team of doctors. Dr Neil, I am very grateful. I am happy and thankful,” he said.