Santhosh Rizza
Student
Santhosh, an extraordinary 15 year old Italian by way of India, speaks candidly about his Scoliosis journey. He was diagnosed with Scoliosis at the age of 12 but refused to let it define him.
He has been able to overcome the struggle of wearing a brace and subsequent surgery, and pursue his passion for musical theater. He talks of self-love and confidence that transcends any diagnosis.
Santhosh spoke about hating his brace, even wanting to smash it, but learned to give himself grace. His advice is to be mindful of all the emotions you experience and give yourself permission to feel all of them. He explains that it’s okay to be frustrated; just don’t let it consume or define you.
