By 18-year-old Katherine Whitlock, former Children’s patient and aspiring professional ballerina for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Carefree Chronicle, Summer 2023 Edition.
The day I was born, doctors immediately noticed something was wrong. I had a small, fluid-filled sac on my back, and my spine hadn’t formed properly. In addition, my spinal cord had attached near my coccyx, causing nerve damage. Hours later, MRI scans confirmed my diagnoses: spina bifida with a tethered spinal cord.
I needed surgery, but my parents couldn’t find a neurosurgeon in Chattanooga who was comfortable performing the procedure on a newborn. We’d have to wait until I was 5 years old. My dad, a pediatric resident at the time, knew that wasn’t an option. It was possible I’d never walk if we waited too long. So, he started emailing every hospital and neurosurgery program he could find. Luckily, Children’s answered. And they could do the surgery in just a few weeks—rather than years.
At just 9 weeks old, I underwent a successful spinal detethering surgery and laminectomy in Atlanta. With four and a half missing vertebrae—two removed during surgery and the others missing since birth—and nothing protecting my spinal cord, I would never be able to play contact sports. Thankfully, that wasn’t a problem for me. I wanted to be a dancer like my older sister.
When I was finally old enough to take lessons at age 3, we encountered a new obstacle. At first, our dance studio was hesitant to enroll me due to my surgery and condition. But my care team stepped in and gave full support. Since spina bifida caused me to have extreme weakness on my left side, my doctors felt ballet could be a great strengthening activity. And soon I was dancing my way into a lifelong passion.
What I love most about ballet is the focus it takes. It requires constant concentration to maintain proper technique. When I’m in the zone, I feel confident and beautiful. Everything else fades away. Dancing also requires great resilience, especially with my condition. I have back pain, and my legs often fall asleep. I also have nerve damage in my feet. It may sound like not being able to feel your feet when dancing is a good thing. But I don’t always realize when I’m overdoing it. So, I’ve worked extra hard to listen to my body and push boundaries appropriately. And recently, I’ve seen how that effort has paid off.
This fall, I’ll be attending one of the top dance programs in the country at Florida State University. After earning my degree, I hope to dance professionally before opening my own studio. I want to show other little girls how the world of dance can embrace all abilities. Yes, dancing takes hard work and determination. But the joy and beauty it can bring you are so worth it.
This article originally appeared in the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s Carefree Chronicle, Summer 2023 Edition.