A pop princess was walking tall today after recovering from a severe curvature of the spine which left her bent at 40 degrees and unable to sing because she was crushing her own lungs.
Talented Polly Money, 15, recorded her first album at 13 and has always dreamed of becoming a professional singer.
But 18 months ago she was struck down by scoliosis, which caused her back to bend into a 40-degree ‘hunchback’ S-shaped curve.
It left her unable to sing as she crushed her own internal organs and could have been fatal if left untreated.
Doctors warned Polly – who attends #28,000-per-year Millfield School in Somerset – that she would need major surgery to fuse her spine into the correct position.
But complications could have left her permanently unable to sing so she opted for an intensive program of physiotherapy.
By training for 45 minutes a day, Polly has made an ”incredible” recovery and has now returned to her singing lessons.
She said: ”Being able to avoid the surgery has been amazing.
”There are so many awful things that can go wrong with the operation and to me it just wasn’t worth the risk.
”I am now in control of my body; I know what’s good for my back and what’s not. I love singing and sports, in fact I love life.
”I hope to be a recording artist and I really do believe that this is possible now, especially after what I have achieved.
”Anyone can achieve anything if they put their heart and soul into it.”
Polly’s voice first began to deteriorate 18 months ago when she became short of breath and could not hold her notes.
Worried mum Jan, a masseur, took her to their GP six months ago when her conditioned worsened and they were given the devastating news that Polly had scoliosis.
She visited a specialist at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London weeks later and was put on the waiting list for surgery the next day.
Polly was desperate to avoid surgery as surgeons would have had to puncture her lung – which may not have fully recovered enough for her to sing strongly.
Her condition became gradually worse and Polly became unable to exercise or sing due to her restricted lung capacity and was left in excruciating back pain.
Mother-of-four Jan began searching for alternatives to surgery and discovered the Scoliosis SOS centre in London, which uses exercises to ‘re-train’ the spine.
Polly began her four-week treatment programme in September this year and now does 45 minutes of exercises each evening to keep her back in the correct shape.
Jan, who is married to financial adviser John, 53, said she believes her daughter is now ready to take the charts by storm.
She said: ”Polly had always had a fantastic voice and the personality to go with it.
”When she was diagnosed with scoliosis, she lost a great deal of that confidence and her passion for life, now, finally, after a roller coaster ride I can finally say I have my bright, happy go lucky daughter back.”
Polly, of Falmouth, Cornwall, began recording tracks for her debut album aged just 13.
Her 11-track album ‘Along Came Polly’ was released last year and Polly has since taken part in a number of ‘Live and Unsigned’ concerts.
She is now set to record more tracks – much to the delight of her proud parents, sisters Imogen, 20 and Freya, 23 and brother Alexander, 26.
Further information about Scoliosis SOS including the ScolioGold program Polly was treated with is available from: www.scoliosisSOS.com or 01394 389 670.
