Article
A patient born with a genetic condition receives comprehensive, collaborative care at Children's Health
When 16-year-old Madelyn reads one of her published children’s books to a group of kids in churches, schools or libraries, there’s often a kid who comes up afterwards and asks to have their picture taken with her.
“They think she’s famous – and even if Madelyn herself doesn’t think she’s truly famous – she can’t underestimate the impact she may be having on younger kids, when she hugs them and reads her published book to them,” says Madelyn’s mom, Shauntelle.
Madelyn has always had a desire to help and serve. She’s wanted to be a doctor for as long as she can remember. And, more recently, she’s wanted to help kids fall in love with books – and help them to be brave in the face of challenges, like she has.
As the autobiographical character Mariella in her book, “Mariella is Brave,” believes: It’s important to acknowledge your fears – and also celebrate the courage to keep going even when you’re scared.
A scary diagnosis
When Madelyn was 10 years old, she went to her pediatrician who asked her to bend over and reach for her toes – the standard spine health check.
Madelyn and her family were scared and shocked when the pediatrician calmly said, “Madelyn has scoliosis,” – an uncommon condition that happens when the spine curves sideways.
“Scoliosis was not something we ever expected to deal with – and nobody in the family had it,” says Shauntelle.
To correct the curvature, Madelyn tried wearing back braces nearly 24/7 for a few years. But her curve kept progressing to severe scoliosis. Her upper back progressed to having a curve greater than 50 degrees – and she’d lost three inches in height.
Her family was referred to a surgeon who wanted them to quickly proceed to spinal fusion surgery, the recommended treatment for kids who have such a significant curve.
Shauntelle and Madelyn’s dad, Philbert, felt the need for a second opinion. So they made an appointment with Christopher N. Redman, M.D., Pediatric Orthopaedic Spinal Deformity Surgeon at Children's Health Andrews Institute Spine Center.
“When we met Dr. Redman, we all looked at each other like, ‘This is the one,’” says Shauntelle.
I immediately got this sense of the love and compassion Dr. Redman had for me and my family.
Madelyn, patient
Dr. Redman took the time to explain why Madelyn needed surgery, including that Madelyn’s curve was likely to keep progressing if it was not surgically fixed, and that scoliosis is best corrected at a young age.
“When a curve keeps progressing, a child can develop more serious problems with their lungs and heart,” says Dr. Redman. “And children have a much easier time recovering from surgery than adults.”
Writing to help cope
“Mariella is Brave” with its autobiographical messages on how to transform fear into courage, was born out of a conversation with Dr. Redman.
“Madelyn had told me she’d written a few books so I looked them up. And I thought it would be cool if she could write one about coping with a serious medical problem, so I suggested it to her,” says Dr. Redman.
Dr. Redman now has several copies of “Mariella is Brave” in his office and has purchased more books to distribute to other clinics at Children’s Health.
“The book is really written for any child going through a major procedure, which I love. It can help any kid with a serious medical problem,” says Dr. Redman.
Madelyn’s first two books (“Mariella Can’t Wait” and “Mariella is Frustrated”) are also based on real life experiences Madelyn had during the pandemic, when Shauntelle used her degree in elementary education to home school her daughter.
Wanting to make learning fun and authentic, Shauntelle signed Madelyn up for a writing class, which sparked her interest in writing books. They also watched a YouTube video by the young author and social activist Marley Diaz, which further inspired Madelyn to write books that could help more kids see the value in reading.
“When you read, you can find yourself in the characters – and it can be a coping method if you’re in a difficult time,” says Madelyn.
Leaning on a support system to help you carry on
“Mariella is Brave” follows Mariella from diagnosis through surgery.
Throughout the book, Mariella relies deeply on her faith and prayer, her community, her family and her care team to face years of uncomfortable bracing, many visits to specialists, and ultimately, a 4-hour surgery to fuse the bones of her spine so it would stop bending.
“We use screws and metal rods to hold the proper alignment, which becomes a permanent fix,” says Dr. Redman. “And we try to leave as much space between the discs above and below the surgical area so kids can still bend and twist and do everything they want to do.”
Dr. Redman used advanced technology called the Firefly Imaging System to plan Madelyn's surgery. The system uses a CT scan to create a 3D-printed mold of a child’s spine before surgery, helping surgeons map out the procedure in advance and place the screws during surgery with greater accuracy.
After a summer of avoiding bending, twisting and lifting, and regular check-ups with Dr. Redman, Madelyn was ready to return to high school. There, she immersed herself in the classes and activities she loves: French class, French club, choir – and the Future Medical Leaders Club.
Embodying the qualities of a good doctor
Madelyn has been on a clear path to become a doctor for years. In 2025, she was selected to attend the Congress of Future Medical Leaders in Boston. There, she learned the three C’s – qualities every good doctor should embody: caring, compassionate and competent.
Dr. Redman feels certain that Madelyn embodies those three C’s and will be a wonderful doctor.
“Madelyn is highly motivated and mature for her age. And the work that she's already done with children's books just shows her dedication to other people and her commitment to serving others, which is really what being a doctor is about,” says Dr. Redman.
Dr. Redman also taught me that being a doctor requires a lot of patience. And I’ve also learned about patience from my own experience with scoliosis.
Madelyn, patient
Given her tight bond with her mom and a deep interest in supporting women and children, Madelyn is certain she wants to be an OB/GYN.
Her mom couldn’t be prouder of her bright, funny, caring daughter and all that she’s already accomplished.
Madelyn took her diagnosis, surgery and the recovery process day by day, and with grace. And so does the character in her book, which we hope will inspire many other kids and families that they can do the same.
Shauntelle, patient parent
Learn more about scoliosis treatments
The highly trained pediatric spine specialists at the Children's Health Andrews Institute Spine Center use advanced treatment technology and techniques to treat all children with spinal irregularities and scoliosis. Learn more about our spine and scoliosis treatment program.
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