Orthopedic Surgery Institute Patient Stories | Nicklaus Children's Hospital

Natalie's Journey with Scoliosis

Natalie was diagnosed with early onset scoliosis at 19 months and underwent years of treatment, including casting, bracing, and three surgeries, under the care of Dr. Stephen G. George. At age 12, after her final surgery to correct her spine, she completed her 10-year treatment journey and is ready to move forward. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Luciana

Despite being born prematurely, Luciana has always been a fighter and was determined to succeed. Read this story.

Santi Beats the Odds: A Story of Perseverance

Santi brings joy to everyone around him, despite his medical limitations. At only age 7, Santi has memorized the telephone numbers of all his favorite people, including some of his nurses at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Read this story.

Samuel's Journey: Triumph Over Unimaginable Challenges

At just three months old, Samuel's life took a turn that would test the strength, faith and resilience of his family. Diagnosed with intractable epilepsy (when seizures can't be completely controlled by medicines), Samuel faced an uphill battle characterized by frequent and severe seizures, developmental delays and numerous health complications that puzzled even the most skilled doctors. Read this story.

Liz: Growing inch by inch

Liz was completely dependent on others to eat, bathe, and dress because of a condition known as a achondroplasia that impacts the growth of bone in the limbs. After learning of limb lengthening surgery, she met with Dr. Ruggles at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Orthopedic, Sports Medicine, and Spine Institute. Now, Liz enjoys the little things like combing her own hair and carrying a bookbag to school. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Mikaela

Treatment options for Mikaela's scoliosis diagnosis was severely limited in Paraguay during the pandemic, so Mikaela's parents brought her to Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Thankfully, after undergoing a successful operation on her spine, Mikaela has restarted school and lives a more comfortable and confident life. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Fabricio

Fabricio was born prematurely at 32 weeks and spent 21 days in the ICU at a hospital in Colombia. Almost a year later Fabricio's family learned that he had spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, but it wasn't until a pediatric orthopedic surgeon visited Cartagena, Colombia on a mission trip where she met Fabricio and knew that she and her team at Nicklaus Children's could help. Read this story.

Candido's Story

Candido is a rambunctious 2-year-old boy who loves to play and run around. During a bad fall that required an emergency room visit and x-ray imaging his family learned that he was born with a rare bone defect called congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia or CPT. Read this story.

Young Soccer Star Overcomes Sport Injury

Stephanie has been playing soccer since the age of four. The star goalkeeper not only plays for her high school, she also is part of a competitive travel team that has won accolades throughout Florida. Her shining soccer career came to a sudden halt when she injured her shoulder. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Graceston

After his ability to walk was severely limited, Graceston and his mother Curlene traveled from the Bahamas to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for a medical consult. Despite overwhelming personal and financial difficulties, Graceston is receiving vital corrective care and is continuing stronger than ever! Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Nicolas

Nicolas and his family searched for help and answers in Colombia, and after multiple opinions he was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 2 (SMA2). If continued untreated, he may lose the use of some muscles. Thankfully, Nicolas was able to visit Nicklaus Children’s for care. Read this story.

A More Mobile Future for Jabarry

Jabarry has always dreamed of playing soccer and basketball, but these activities were not possible due to his muscular limitations associated with cerebral palsy. He was a candidate for single event multilevel surgery (SEMLS), a surgical procedure that aims to correct many of these issues in one to two surgeries. After a successful surgery, Jabarry is now taking steps and has had the opportunity to kick a soccer ball and score a goal! Read this story.

Ja'leah's Love for Basketball

Ja’leah Williams has always excelled in athletics. She began as a runner competing at the state and national level in track and field, and went on to win a gold medal in the Junior Olympics. Ja’leah learned she had idiopathic scoliosis with a 67 degree curvature during her junior year of high school. Read this story.

Adam's Story

Adam Perez learned early on that he had scoliosis after a routine screening at school. However, shortly after he turned 16, the scoliosis had progressed enough that he needed surgery to correct the curvature in his spine. Read this story.

Isabel's Story

Isabel George was diagnosed with scoliosis during a routine physical at only 11 years of age. Although she had never complained of back pain and was a very active child, Isabel was diagnosed with a severe curvature of the spine of 60 degrees. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Mariana

Just as the COVD-19 pandemic began, one-year old Mariana wasn't eating regularly and began making grunting noises that concerned her mother, Odaymis. After being rushed to Nicklaus Children's, Mariana's problems began to be identified, but a bigger fight was on the horizon. Read this story.

Celebrating Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month with Kyrie

Kyrie was born prematurely at only 24 weeks and was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a toddler. Life keeps getting better for Kyrie after a life-changing surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital that has enabled him to do things his parents never before thought possible, such as swimming and horseback riding. He is now walking independently and continues to show his fighting spirit. Read this story.

Ortho Athlete Spotlight: Motocross Racer Colt Golembeski

At only 12 years of age, Colt is already an accomplished motocross racer. In January 2020, Colt went from being at the top of his game to enduring a devastating injury at a moment's notice. During a training event in Georgia, Colt jumped off the side of his motorcycle and felt his knee pop. He had torn his ACL. Read this story.

Allison's Story: Top Gymnast Bounces Back After Injury

Allison Roca is among the top 100 gymnasts in the nation for her age division. Her rigorous routine came to a halt in the summer of 2020 while performing a stunt known as a front tuck. When she landed with her knee hyperextended her mother almost immediately knew that something was not right. Allison was in a lot of pain. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Tyler

When Tyler began to complain about pains in his shin, his dad thought it was a simple soccer injury. After multiple complaints, Tyler’s dad began to take it more serious. Following a series of exams and an osteosarcoma diagnosis in Jamaica, Tyler was referred to Dr. Temple, orthopedic surgeon at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for limb saving surgery. Read this story.

Bianca’s Journey to Being Pain Free

Bianca suffered from pain and a severe bowleg deformity for many years as a result of Blount’s disease, a growth disorder that affects the bones in children and young adults. Read this story.

Asnay Stands Up to Cerebral Palsy

Asnay Machado is an ambitious Westland Senior High School student with dreams of becoming a lawyer one day. Asnay, who was born with cerebral palsy, recently enjoyed a boost in confidence thanks to a surgery at Nicklaus Children’s that has enabled him to stand up straight for the first time. Read this story.

Devon, Determined to Stand

At around 6 months of age, Devon's mother started noticing that he wasn't meeting his developmental milestones. By the time he was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with a rare form of epilepsy and his muscle development was impaired. Surgery, physical therapy, and Devon's own determination brought his quality of life beyond what his mother had initially thought possible. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Astry

After Astry was born, her parents noticed that she wasn't progressing as babies typically do. She wasn't able to lift her head and she showed a lot of muscle weakness. Her pediatrician recommended they take her to see a neurologist, and so Astry's parents brought her to Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Alessandra

At age 10, Alessandra was diagnosed with scoliosis and started receiving treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Read this story.

Maddy's Success Story

When Maddy was only 12 hours old, she was flown to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital to undergo the first of several surgeries to treat spina bifida, a congenital condition that affects the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord. Thanks to a multidisciplinary team approach, Maddy received coordinated care by an array of subspecialists. Read this story.

Kimberly's Scoliosis Success Story

Kimberly was 14 years old when she started noticing an unevenness of her shoulders and rib cage, as well as the shortening of her torso. Her whole upper body was beginning to look disfigured, so her pediatrician referred her to the Orthopedics Department at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Read this story.

For the Love of Soccer

For some kids, playing sports is not only fun but it also a passion. For Esteban Leon, 14, soccer is always on his mind; but when he was only 10 years old, his dreams came to a halt while on the soccer field one afternoon. Read this story.

Young Boy Regains Ability to Walk

By the time he was 13, Gerard was unable to walk. He was also experiencing seizures which prevented him from attending school. Gerard required surgery in order to decompress his spinal cord and repair the bone. The doctors at Nicklaus Children's Hospital were hopeful that surgery would be successful and Gerard could regain the sensation in his legs. Read this story.

Making a Difference for Michael

Michael Hadler is a busy high school student, an ambassador and volunteer for the Best Buddies Program and Miracle League athlete whose favorite subjects include creative writing and world history. Oh, and Michael also has spastic cerebral palsy. Read this story.

Patient of the Month: Alexis

Alexis has suffered more fractures in her short life of life than what the average person will in their entire lifetime. This is because Alexis has a very rare disease called osteogenesis imperfecta, also known as "brittle bone disease." Read this story.

Keila's Success Story

Keila underwent spinal fusion surgery at Nicklaus Children's Hospital and feels grateful for the care and support she received during her long recovery. Read this story.

Tiffany's Success Story

Misdiagnosed several times after freak accident, until Dr. Asghar diagnosed her with a rare spinal disorder: Klippel-Feil syndrome. Read this story.

Gianna's Success Story

Gianna, spent eight days in Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Her parents speak wonders of the surgeons and nurses that tended to her daughter during that time. Read this story.

Barbara's Success Story

When Barbara was hospitalized, the hospital was called Variety Children's Hospital. She had congenital hip problems and had many operations before moving to Miami in 1953. Read this story.

Tania's Scoliosis Success Story

Tania was eight years of age when was diagnosed with scoliosis. As she grew older, it got worse and so she had surgery with one of the best doctors in Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Read this story.

Ryan's Success Story

Ryan and his cousin were throwing Chinese stars into a tree when Ryan's hand slipped and he cut his finger. The only doctor and hospital that would take Ryan (due to the intricate possible tendon injury) was Dr. Perlyn and Nicklaus Children's Hospital. Read this story.

Deborah's Success Story

Deborah had one leg shorter than the other. She was treated at Nicklaus Children's Hospital until she was 18 years old and can now walk on her own. Read this story.

Jennifer's Spinal Surgery Success Story

Jennifer just got hired here at Nicklaus Children's Hospital! Not only does she feel so proud and lucky, but she also feels very honored to be a part of a hospital where she had a serious back surgery done several years ago. Read this story.

Keith's Success Story

After having his arm set wrong twice by two different orthopedics, his parents immediately took him to Nicklaus Children's Hospital, where he received the treatment he needed. Read this story.

Victor's Success Story

Victor was at Nicklaus Children's Hospital when he was seven years old due to his broken femur bone on his left leg. He missed an entire year of first grade. Being seven years old, it was difficult for him to realize what was going on. But the staff at Nicklaus Children's Hospital were there for him every step of the way, helping him get better. Read this story.

St. Clair's Success Story

St. Clair was having trouble walking because his legs were tilting inwards, which was wearing out his joints and resulting in painful and premature arthritis. His condition progressed to a point where he could no longer play sports or even walk without pain. He was diagnosed with genu valgum, more commonly known as knock-knees. Read this story.

New 'Turbo' Limb-Lengthening Technique Helps Jalen Move Ahead

Jalen is the first patient regionally to benefit from a new “turbo” limb lengthening procedure that reduced the length of time he wore the frame to only six weeks. Read this story.

Sebastian's Cerebral Palsy Success Story

Sebastian was diagnosed with a severe case of cerebral palsy, a condition that causes difficulty with muscle control. In Sebastian’s case, it would make it nearly impossible to pass key milestones like chewing solid foods and walking. Read this story.

Pediatric Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Spine Disorders Patient Stories