Twins Hadley and Delaney Robertson have raised an impressive $50,000 to help adolescents with scoliosis receiving treatment at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. At 15 years old, they are passionate about giving back and their motivation was inspired by their own story.
When Hadley was 12 years old, she was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt before puberty that affects six to nine million people in the U.S., according to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Hadley was required to wear a brace around her chest and back for up to 16 to 23 hours a day.
She and her twin sister Delaney found it difficult to keep track of the many hours Hadley was required to wear her corrective brace. When notepads and whiteboards fell short, the duo decided to co-create their own solution, the BraceTrack App, which is a mobile phone app that solves this time tracking problem for children with scoliosis braces.
In addition to their new app, Hadley’s diagnosis and their subsequent journey of discovery inspired the sisters to give back even more. “After reflecting on how we could expand beyond just time tracking, we wanted to help kids who couldn’t afford braces,” said Hadley and Delaney.
With the cost of scoliosis braces ranging from $3,000-$10,000, and the need for a custom-fit with replacements as the adolescent grows, the twins started Brace for Impact, an initiative that raises funds to support scoliosis braces for children and teens unable to afford their treatment.
Through Brace for Impact, the twins raised the funds to support Nicklaus Children’s Hospital patients. Hadley and Delaney are also exploring research opportunities with the orthopedic team at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
“Hadley and Delaney inspire us with their passion for helping other children and giving back to their community in a meaningful way,” said Dr. Stephen George, medical director of pediatric spinal surgery at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. “The sky is the limit for this dynamic duo, and we look forward to their continued support and all that they will do for our community in the future.”
For more information about BrackTrack visit: https://bracetrack.com/
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About Nicklaus Children's Hospital, Where Children Matter Most ™ (2024)
Nicklaus Children's Hospital is South Florida's #1 nonprofit, freestanding specialty licensed hospital exclusively for children. With more than 850 physicians, including over 500 pediatric subspecialists, the hospital and its network of outpatient centers and offices serve close to 70% of children in the Miami market. The only hospital "where your child matters most™,” Nicklaus Children's is home to the region's most advanced Kenneth C. Griffin Surgical Tower, and its centers of excellence Helen & Jacob Shaham Cancer & Blood Disorders Institute, the Nicklaus Children’s Orthopedics, Sports Health and Spine Institute, Nicklaus Children’s Brain Institute and Nicklaus Children’s Heart Institute. The Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Transfer Center, Nick4Kids, and LifeFlight are responsible for transporting and saving close to 5,000 lives a year. Our 307-bed hospital, which is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine, has many specialty programs routinely ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report since 2008. Nicklaus Children's is also home to the largest pediatric teaching program in the southeastern United States and since 2003 has been designated an American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet facility, the nursing profession's most prestigious institutional honor. For more information, please visit www.nicklauschildrens.org.