Shriners Children’s St. Louis Impacts Two Generations of Spine Patients

Receiving world-class scoliosis care is a family affair for Traci and her son, Rumer.

Thanks to their unique connection, Traci is passionate about the generational impact Shriners Children's St. Louis has made on their family.

With a 55-degree curve in her spine, Traci underwent spinal fusion surgery at Shriners Children’s St. Louis 25 years ago. Years later, she encountered another case of scoliosis near and dear to her heart. Traci’s son, Rumer, was 5 years old when an X-ray revealed a slight curve in his spine.

“My heart sank,” Traci said.

Rumer was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine caused by a defect present at birth. In Rumer’s case, the bones in his spine did not fully form and separate in the womb.

As he continued to grow, so did his discomfort. In Rumer’s early teens, his scoliosis progressed rapidly, and his curve increased from 10 to 63.6 degrees. In search of a solution, his family sought the best pediatric spine care available.

However, as they sought help from a multitude of doctors, Traci left feeling disheartened. “As a parent, you just know when something doesn’t feel right. You trust your gut when it comes to your child’s well-being. But with each consultation, that feeling of confidence never came. I refused to settle,” Traci said.

Living in South Florida at the time, their family made the 1,200-mile journey to St. Louis for Rumer's care, a lengthy trip their family considers well worth it.

"From the moment we walked through those doors, I knew we had made the right choice. The difference was immediate – night and day from what we had experienced at our previous appointments at other hospitals. The care, the expertise, the compassion – it was everything we had been searching for," said Traci. "For the first time in this long, emotional journey, we felt safe. And in that moment, I knew my son was in the absolute best hands."

Congenital scoliosis is the least common type of scoliosis. It occurs in one in 10,000 newborns, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. While many hospitals considered his case incredibly rare, our physicians were confident, seeing many unique types of scoliosis on a regular basis.

Shriners Children’s physician Blake Montgomery, M.D., performed spinal fusion surgery with rod placement to help straighten Rumer’s spine, the same procedure his mom had years prior.

“Spine surgery has changed a lot in the last 25 years. We now have very different techniques in the way that we treat scoliosis. We have the extreme benefit of technology, and we use it to help make surgery safer. Our surgeries are quicker than they once were. There’s less blood loss, which allows our patients to get out of the hospital a lot sooner,” says Dr. Montgomery.

After surgery, Rumer told his mom, "My life has been changed forever."

No longer facing constant discomfort, he’s able to do what he loves. Rumer is driving, something he wasn’t comfortable with prior to surgery. He has his permit and looks forward to getting his license later this summer. As he prepares to graduate from high school, he’s interested in joining the police academy.

“It is the ultimate satisfaction hearing that you made a real difference in someone’s life,” said Dr. Montgomery.

As she reflects on their time at Shriners Children's, Traci describes the impact of Shriners Children’s as profound. "Shriners isn’t just a hospital. It's a place of hope and healing, where we knew our son was receiving the best care possible," said Traci. "It’s the place that gives parents like me the peace of knowing our children are truly cared for. And for that, I will be forever grateful."