Meet Hallie, a patient who is treated by our spine experts. Learn more about her journey below.

Blog written by Hallie's mom, Dawn, of Georgetown, TX. 

Though our Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children story covers a brief span of time, the impact will continue to affect us for the rest of our lives. In the fall of 2017, we discovered that our 13-year-old daughter had scoliosis. Our reaction to her diagnosis went from surprise to utter disbelief over a matter of days, as doctors explained her condition to us and we learned that surgery was her best option.

It’s incredible to think that just one year ago, we were preparing for our daughters scoliosis surgery. After seeing doctors and an orthopedic surgeon in our area, we felt strongly about getting a second opinion. It was heartbreaking to think about Hallie needing this type of treatment. We have no history of scoliosis in our family and had very little knowledge about what to expect. Honestly, we were terrified as we listened to surgeons explain the process of adjusting her spine, as well as the fact that she would have titanium rods and screws in her body for the rest of her life.

Weeks after her initial appointments, we received a recommendation to go to Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas. We made an appointment and it was the best decision we could have made!

From the moment we stepped into the building, we felt like we were in the right place. Not simply surrounded by staff and medical personnel, but it was like walking into a support system.

That is exactly what we experienced throughout Hallie’s entire procedure and it's how we still feel today! Hallie’s surgery was February 15, 2018. While no one could change the fact that our daughter developed what we now know as adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, the doctors and team at the hospital gave us hope and confidence that Hallie would receive the best possible care.  

From our first meeting with Dr. Sucato, we knew we were in the very best hands. He was compassionate, understanding and we immediately felt a sense of trust and confidence in his knowledge and experience. We are also extremely grateful for the amazing group of nurses and the rest of her care team we encountered. When we left, we did not feel like we had simply scheduled a surgery. We felt like we had met with incredible people who were going to take care of Hallie and guide us through the rest of the process. We knew if we were going to have to go through this experience, Scottish Rite Hospital was the place we wanted to be.

I cannot say enough good things about Dr. Sucato and this hospital. He is phenomenal. We are forever grateful to have him over Hallie’s care. Her surgery went just as expected and she received every bit of the exceptional medical care we hoped for. Over the last year, we have continued to receive follow-up care with Dr. Sucato. At each appointment, we have been reminded of the emotional roller coaster we felt throughout our experience. At times, we relive moments of disbelief and uncertainty, but now Hallie has a story of healing and bravery that she can share. Her father and I can share how during a time that changed our lives, Scottish Rite Hospital was the place where people met us, walked along side us and became part of our story.

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