The convention was so much fun! I met so many influential people such as Joe O’Brien(CEO and President of the National Scoliosis Foundation), and Dr. Oheneba Boachie-Adjei, (founder of FOCOS or Foundation of Orthopedics and Complex Spine). FOCOS is an organization which operates on children in Africa with extreme spinal disorders, giving them the care they need. I was also able to see again Beth Janssen, who introduced me to Schroth at Scoliosis Rehab Inc. in March of 2011. I also was fortunate to meet Luke Stikeleather, Mike Mangino, and Grant Wood (Orthotists), Dr. Ronald Snyder(Pediatric Orthopedist), and Dr. Michael Vitale (Chief Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon of New York-Presbyterian Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center). Meeting these people was so inspiring as it is evident, that each have their heart in their work. Seeing and hearing about the work they have done to help others with this disorder and the studies they are doing and funding to prevent it was amazing!

Beth Janssen and me. Beth is a physical therapist from Scoliosis Rehab Inc., who teaches Schroth therapy to scoliosis patients.

The opening screen at the Convention registration and welcoming.

Joe O’Brien, the CEO and President of the National Scoliosis Foundation, and me. Mr. O’Brien talked to the other girls and me about advocating school screening of scoliosis in our state public schools. He was such an informative speaker on the various subjects regarding scoliosis.

The chef of the hotel where the Convention was held, surprised all of us Curvy Girls with a special sugar cookie, decorated with the Curvy Girls logo.

From left: Myself, Rachel Mulvaney, co-leader with Leah Stoltz of the Long Island Curvy Girls group, and Terri, Rachel’s mother. When Leah and her mother sent out flyers for the Curvy Girls group, Rachel was the first to call Leah and her mother about joining the support group.

From left: Leah Stoltz, founder of Curvy Girls, myself, and, Mrs. Robin Stoltz, Leah’s mother. Leah started the first Curvy Girls group in her hometown of Long Island, NY. Now it has spread across the nation in different states, into Canada, and of course GA, where I am starting the first GA group as a leader.