Today we’d like to introduce you to Esther Vazquez
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I got diagnosed with severe scoliosis at thirteen, it was a complete shock. To many, this is simply just a curve in the spine, but to me, it was so much more than that. This new diagnosis suddenly consumed me; it was really hard for me and I didn’t know what my next steps were. I was told I needed surgery, but isn’t that a bit harsh for someone who didn’t know they had this before the appointment? I felt in dire need of support from people who could relate to me. I had so many questions and worries and even though I had a strong support system from loved ones and doctors around me, it still wasn’t enough; I felt like they lacked a certain kind of understanding that goes beyond “the curve” itself.
When I looked into scoliosis support groups around South Florida, there were none to be found. I thought this was strange considering that there are so many support groups for a variety of different things. Considering the psychological effects scoliosis has had on me and on so many others, there needed to be a community to unite people with the condition. There are so many aspects of scoliosis that are not often talked about, but they should be!
With this problem in mind, I quickly became passionate about finding a solution. Unsure of how to approach this issue, I founded Got Your Back Miami. This problem, being so relevant to me, needed to be of help to the scoliosis community in the right way. With that, I got in touch with the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and they loved the mission of GYBM. I soon began working with Dr. David McMillan (my mentor) in the early fall of 2023 and was super excited to see Got Your Back Miami develop into something that thirteen-year-old me would have dreamed of.
I reached out to many people in the scoliosis online community as well as several doctors, surgeons, and clinics to promote GYBM and tell others who may be affected by scoliosis about us. I also let them know about future events that they should stay tuned for. I soon organized our first support group meeting and it felt like I was really making a positive difference in an immense aspect of my life and most definitely many other lives. I was so excited to hear what others had to say about their experiences and this event really showed me that GYBM has the ability to help people open up about this condition that is often brushed off.
I recently hosted a pilates event in June for Scoliosis Awareness Month in June at Shake-A-Leg Miami and it went great! The many who came to the class were able to share their spine stories and it was so inspiring! This was a great way to bring the community together to acknowledge scoliosis and it reminded me a lot about thirteen-year-old me. I was so full of anxiety and questions about my diagnosis to the point where I forgot so many other wonderful parts of life. This event made me realize that something so simple as Pilates can help someone be less tense about their condition and accept them for who they are.
In my experience, I found that the term “surgery” is seemingly thrown directly in your face right at the time of diagnosis. GYBM not only provides resources and lets the community know that there are OPTIONS when it comes to scoliosis, but we let them know that even if you don’t want to change it is okay. Our motto is “WE got your back,” because unlike any other community in South Florida for scoliosis, we truly got your back.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The support that has been around me during the formulation process has made it extremely easy! Dr. David McMillan, has been such a great mentor and has helped me every step of the way. My parents have been super supportive and reminded me that what I am doing is great when I got anxious about events and planning.
I cant say that that it was all very easy, but considering where I am now, I think I did pretty good!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Right now, I am a rising senior in high school. I am a very studious person with a strong drive for success when it comes to my academics. This has allowed me to focus a lot on GYBM because of my working abilities. I am very interested in medicine and GYBM has inspired me to study the human anatomy (specifically the spine). I am committed to doing pre-med in college and I am most proud of my determination when it comes to my work. I am within the top 10 students of my class and studying and succeeding are some things that are very meaningful to me.
What’s next?
For Got Your Back Miami, I plan to continue to grow the scoliosis community in the future. With a bigger community, I can host more exciting events to unite the people, raise money for research, and enforce openness about the condition. I plan to continue GYBM through college (planning on going to the University of Miami) and I am looking forward to what the future holds for the community I began for the younger version of myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gotyourbackmiami.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gotyourbackmiami/
