Meet Mikaela
Mikaela enjoys spending time with her family camping, quadding and getting out on the river by their home near Pidgeon Lake, Alberta. After a diagnosis of scoliosis and Chiari malformation followed by a successful brain surgery at seven years old, Mikaela is excelling in both school and sports thanks to the world-class care at the Stollery.
Mikaela’s Stollery journey began when she was seven years old. Following a referral from her family doctor to the scoliosis clinic at the Stollery, she was officially diagnosed with S-curve scoliosis. She was subsequently referred to neurology department where it was discovered that she also had a Chiari malformation, where the brain presses into the spinal column causing a variety of health issues. Six weeks later, Mikaela had brain surgery for a cranial and spinal decompression.
Since her surgery, Mikaela has exceeded the expectations of her neurosurgery team. She still receives treatments to manage nerve pain in the back of her head, but when it comes to her scoliosis, the curvature in her spine has decreased. Her medical team is looking at the possibility of jaw surgery in the future, but her family is confident knowing that they have access to expert care at the Stollery.
Mikaela is closely monitored by her Stollery team, and they continue to manage her health needs so that she can continue to be a strong-willed teenager who wears her heart on her sleeve.