“It wasn't always easy, but Taylor didn't have to have surgery," her mother Dianne says. "What I'll always remember about our first consult with Dr. Perra, was that he took the time to walk us through everything. When the time for bracing came, we were ready and had developed a level of trust with him and the entire team. Taylor knew that scoliosis wasn’t just happening to her. She wasn’t alone.”

When you stop to consider that she’s doing all of it while dealing with juvenile idiopathic scoliosis (JIS), it becomes even more impressive. Taylor was diagnosed at the age of 6 and began seeing spine surgeon, Joseph Perra, MD at Gillette Children's.

She and her family credit Perra and the specialists at Gillette’s Orthotics, Prosthetics and Seating team for helping them get to where they are today. After a period of careful monitoring, Taylor began wearing a brace for 20 hours each day in the hopes of avoiding surgery. She did so for the next four years.