Growing up, Haley Gantt suffered from
scoliosis. She endured having to wear a back brace every night to prevent her curve from worsening, but unfortunately, she was later told that a
spinal fusion surgery would have to be considered because the brace had failed to prevent the curve from progressing. During her freshman year at The King’s Academy, Haley was referred to the Center for Spinal Disorders at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.
The operation was definitely not something she was looking forward to, but after having met with
Dr. Harry Shufflebarger, Director of the
Division of Spinal Surgery, and the dedicated spine nursing team she knew she was in great hands. In April 2015, 24 screws and two 12-inch cobalt chrome rods were placed in Haley's back to assure her spine was corrected. Although recovery was difficult at times, Haley fought hard and got through it. An accomplished basketball player, Haley is now on her way to playing Division II basketball for Biola University in Southern California.