Helen Stokes, whose 13-year-old daughter Maria was diagnosed with curvature of the spine five years ago, is desperate to raise awareness of her daughter’s plight.
Maria, who is in urgent need of surgery, has been placed on a waiting list and is yet to get the surgery she so desperately needs to correct the 90 degree curvature.
Despite having undergone numerous pre-op procedures and obtained a letter from a consultant orthopaedic surgeon stressing the severity of Maria’s case, the teen has yet to be placed on a waiting list.
Opening up about the frustration she feels, Helen said: “I spoke with the spinal nurse on Tuesday and was told that the surgery list for theatre has come out and Maria's name is not on it. This is the last straw. “
Devastated for her daughter, the Kildare- based mum-of-three said: “All I want is for Maria to have a normal life, to be able to do things other young girls do at her age.”
Experiencing chronic pain and unable to return to school since Easter, Helen fears for her daughter’s future, revealing: “Her physical appearance is really affecting her as the condition gets worse but I'm more concerned about how all of this is affecting her mentally.”
Determined her daughter doesn’t just become another face in the crowd, Helen has set up an online petition and has received support from over 1000 members of the public, but it may not be enough, given the current scoliosis services.
Acknowledging on the severity of the situation, a spokesperson for Leo Vardkar asserts that the minister is in the process of addressing the issue, saying: “Demand for scoliosis surgery has been increasing, with resulting pressure on capacity. But it has been identified as a priority by the Minister and he is keen to make as much progress as possible in this area in the short term.”
There are currently over 100 children on the waiting list.
