They Have Scoliosis!? Famous and Influential People That You Never Knew Had Scoliosis.

Scoliosis affects everyone in a different way. Scoliosis doesn't care if you're a regular person, a supermodel, a star athlete, a politician, or a performer. Sometimes I would find it comforting that there were well-known people with Scoliosis because it made me feel less alone and it made me feel better knowing that I can still achieve greatness even with my idiopathic Scoliosis! Here's a list of some famous or influential people who have Scoliosis, and brief stories about their experiences:

Martha Hunt

Picture of Martha Hunt [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/marthahunt

Martha Hunt is a famous model and has been a Victoria Secret Angel since 2015. At around 14 years of age she started to notice changes in her body shape, and thought that her figure did not look symmetrical. She eventually found out that this was due to Scoliosis. She had spinal fusion surgery to fix her 39 degrees thoracic curve and 52 degrees thoracic-lumbar curve. Now, Martha currently advocates for Scoliosis and continues to share her journey.

Princess Eugenie

Gonzales, E. (2018). Princess Eugenie's Wedding Dress Shows Her Scars from Scoliosis Surgery [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.harpersbazaar.com/celebrity/latest/a23734263/princess-eugenie-scars-royal-wedding-dress/

The royal wedding of Princess Eugenie raised awareness for Scoliosis as the princess wore a wedding gown that displayed a part of her scar from surgery. Princess Eugenie was diagnosed with Scoliosis when she was 12 years old, and also underwent spinal fusion surgery.

Usain Bolt

Usian Bolt [Photograph]. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/rio2016/track-field/usain-bolt-profile-1.3719258

Usain Bolt is the world record holder for three different track and field events, and is considered to be the fastest man alive. He's considered to be an inspiration for those with Scoliosis, as he's never let the medical condition slow him down.

Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor was a famous actress and humanitarian that experienced complications from Scoliosis and severe pain for the majority of her life. Unfortunately this excruciating pain confined her to a wheel-chair, and she later passed away in 2011 from other causes.

Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.spin.com/2018/11/kurt-cobain-offers-his-thoughts-on-rap-music-in-unreleased-1991-interview/

Kurt Cobain was a singer, songwriter, performer, and the lead guitarist for the band 'Nirvana.' Due to Kurt's Scoliosis, he often found the weight of his guitar slightly painful for his back, and he noticed that he often was standing sideways.

Shailene Woodley

Shailene Woodley [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.thecut.com/2016/08/shailene-woodley-could-be-your-next-congresswoman.html

Shailene Woodley is an American actress, and was diagnosed with Scoliosis at the age of 15. She wore a back brace for two years and is still dealing with her Scoliosis to date. She has become a positive role model for young girls with Scoliosis.

Liza Minnelli

Liza Minnelli [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.nts.live/artists/25605-liza-minnelli

Liza Minnelli is an actress and singer with Scoliosis. She first speculated she had the disorder when she saw pictures of herself on stage with her shoulders at different heights and her back looking twisted. She still performs and doesn't let her Scoliosis stop her from doing anything!

Yo-Yo Ma

Yo-Yo Ma [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/sections/deceptivecadence/2007/11/04/15863524/yo-yo-mas-top-five-faves

Yo-Yo Ma is a world-famous cellist. He was diagnosed with Scoliosis when he was 24 years old. His curves are 63 and 67 degrees, which has caused a reduction in the space for his lungs. Yo-Yo Ma ended up getting surgery and had an upper body cast for six months. Now, he works out and remains active to help his Scoliosis!

This blog is my own personal experience and journey with Scoliosis. It is not a medical blog, and if anyone has concerns about their own health, they should see a physician.

- Information for Martha Hunt's story retrieved from: https://www.srs.org/patients-and-families/patient-stories/martha

- Information for Princess Eugenie's story retrieved from: http://www.rnohcharity.org/the-appeal/princess-eugenie-s-story

Information for Usain Bolt's story retrieved from: https://www.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com/usain-bolt-scoliosis/

- Information for Elizabeth Taylor's story retrieved from: https://www.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com/elizabeth-taylor-scoliosis/

- Information for Kurt Cobain's story retrieved from: https://www.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com/kurt-cobain-scoliosis/

- Information for Shailene Woodley's story retrieved from: https://spiralspine.com/shailene-woodley-shines-with-scoliosis/

- Information for Liza Minnelli's story retrieved from: https://www.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com/liza-minnelli-scoliosis/

- Information for Yo-Yo Ma's story retrieved from: https://www.hudsonvalleyscoliosis.com/yo-yo-ma-scoliosis/