Rebecca Hession
- Maker of Ceramic Pottery | Pilates & Yoga | Avid Reader
Rebecca was around 9 years old when she was diagnosed, and had never heard of Scoliosis. From her parent’s perspective, there was a lot of uncertainty and they didn't know what would lie ahead.
Throughout her journey Rebecca stayed motivated and maintained a positive mindset while
living with Scoliosis. Rebecca has overcome many obstacles. “I threw my back out when I was
24 from a herniated disc due to how unhealthy my spine had become. I was living in a new city
with no family nearby, and struggled walking for weeks. Going to the emergency room on the
day the pain became unbearable is a day that I will never forget, and it was my breaking point in
battling my Scoliosis. I needed to stop fighting against it and start working with it, as I only get
one life and I didn’t deserve to be spending it in that amount of pain. It was through that hospital
that I met an amazing doctor who helped me get back on my feet (literally) and into a better
treatment plan. I’ll always be grateful to her and to the wonderful new friends who helped me
during that time.”
Rebecca’s story can and will help so many individuals who have been diagnosed with Scoliosis,
and she sees herself advocating for Scoliosis awareness by sharing her empowering story and
joining the community of Scoliwarriors from all different walks of life.
A valuable life lesson that Rebecca has learned is that she is not weak or broken because of her
diagnosis – She is stronger because of her curve, and focuses on what she CAN do, as
opposed to what she CANNOT do
As a teenager and in her 20s, Rebecca states that Scoliosis was her greatest insecurity. Her
clothes didn’t fit in the way she wanted them to fit, and she was self-conscious and hid her back
at any opportunity.
“I wasted so much time dwelling on what didn’t work instead of what did- I have come so
far in embracing my curve and rib hump, but I still sometimes get frustrated. It will
always be a growing process for me, but I am glad to have made it to the happier side of
it all.
Rebecca would love to see medical professionals have a better understanding of the PERSON
and not just the spine. It took years of her advocating for herself when she felt like nobody was
listening when she said “something isn’t right.” She is grateful to have doctors who not only
listen, but who understand how Scoliosis can affect the entire person (whether it be a mild or a
more extreme curve).
“I would also love to see the medical community better embrace different kinds of treatment– every person is unique, and sometimes you have to think outside of the box pilates, acupuncture, cupping, and yoga all made huge differences for me, but it wasn’t until I started thinking outside of the “typical” box that I got there.”
One of Rebecca’s biggest achievements to date is that she has traveled to 28 countries and is
married to the love of her life
