A teenager who underwent a major operation to straighten her spine has shown off her scar with pride at her high school prom – in a BACKLESS dress.
Phoebe Tyrell, 16, was just 14 when she was diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, a condition characterised by curvature of the spine.
After having the major surgery in September 2015 she was left with a large scar.
But despite the mark brave Phoebe enjoyed her prom spurred on to wear the backless dress by her friends.
Phoebe said: “My prom was amazing it was such a great way to end the year, especially after two months of exams.
“My friends did want me to wear a backless dress, they’ve all been so supportive and are all proud of me so it was lovely to see that they wanted me to show off my scar.
“I’m now two years post surgery and I couldn’t be happier with how it went, you wouldn’t be able to tell I had anything wrong in the first place and I’m always told my scar is barely noticeable.
“My clothes fit better and I feel so much more confident.”
Her mother Laura said: “I think it was her friends that pushed her in the direction of the backless dress, I was very touched by that and thought it was so lovely.
“The build up to the prom was awe consuming, the dress, the makeup, the tan, I couldn’t even tell you. She had such a lovely evening.”
Laura, an office manager, said that Phoebe was very courageous at the time when she was diagnosed, and had just six weeks off school after the operation.
She added: “We were all very worried but she was absolutely fine.
“At the time I didn’t know if it was because she didn’t realise the gravity of the operation but she breezed through it.
“She was in hospital for a week and had six weeks off school.
“Phoebe was on quite serious pain medication but when she came home she wasn’t in pain.
“The biggest thing for her was nausea from the anesthetics, which isn’t much really when you think of what she went through.
“The scar is right on her spine and the bumpiness of the spine hides it, it has healed beautifully and that healing will continue.”
Laura couldn’t praise the work of Nuffield Health Hospital in Leeds, West Yorks., enough in how they dealt with Phoebe.
She added: “The fix was instant and her spine was straightened straight after surgery.
“I can’t praise the surgeons enough, they were amazing and they made such a big effort that Phoebe had the same people looking after her all the time.
“That allowed her to have continuity and build up relationships because she was in a very vulnerable position, the surgeons and nurses were so lovely.”
Phoebe, from Harrogate, North Yorks., added: “My surgeon and the nurses were so amazing, they took such great care of me and made a real difference to my experience.
“They were so caring and encouraging, I was out of hospital in 6 days.
“I couldn’t thank them enough.”
