SAN ANTONIO – When Aniya Soni was diagnosed with scoliosis at 14, she said she didn’t know anyone else going through the same thing. Now 16, she is working to make sure other girls in San Antonio don’t feel that same isolation.
Soni was diagnosed two years ago with scoliosis, a curvature of the spine.
“It can either happen like a C or an S shape. It can really affect your lung functions, how your body is shaped, and it can really start affecting if you don’t get it treated when you’re older,” Soni said.
Though she didn’t have pain at the time, she and her family had noticed changes in her posture.
“My family had always noticed I was more of a hunchback and my shoulders and hips were tilted, but we never really thought much of it,” Soni said.
Just a few months after her diagnosis, Soni had surgery in New York. During her recovery, she found the Curvy Girls Scoliosis Foundation, a peer support network for girls ages 8 to 18 with scoliosis.
The foundation is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has 70 chapters internationally. Soni said joining the group helped her find connection, understanding and confidence.
“I just walk into school and I don’t know anyone with scoliosis, but the minute I step into that group chat or that community space, it’s just like, ‘Oh, did you guys go to your doctor’s today? What did they say? What are your curves like? Are you guys progressing?’” Soni said. “I feel like it’s really a sense of home.”
About a year ago, Soni decided to restart the San Antonio chapter, which had closed.
She said scoliosis can affect more than a person’s physical health. For many girls, it can also affect body image and emotional well-being.
“I would wear a lot of baggy clothes, a lot like sweaters to hide my shoulders and hips,” Soni said. “And then I see that a lot with girls now, even when they wear their brace. And I just wish it was more normalized, that scoliosis is a common condition. It’s OK.”
Soni is now sharing her story at science fairs and community events in hopes of reaching more girls who could benefit from the group.
“There is someone out there who will understand you, and that your scoliosis will be OK, even if it doesn’t seem like it now,” she said.
Soni is also asking doctors who diagnose girls with scoliosis to let families know peer support is available.
Anyone interested in joining the San Antonio chapter of Curvy Girls can email Soni at SanAntonio@curvygirlsscoliosis.com.
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