Bent but not broken | Kofoworola Olaofe | TEDxAkure

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. From being normal at childhood to developing an abnormality being a teenager, Kofoworola had to grow her happiness from self confidence within. She is proud of who she is and has taken time to grow her confidence in addressing daily challenges.

Ekiti State-born Miss Kofoworola Olaofe was born on March 14, 1988. Kofoworola appeared normal as a growing baby and there was nothing untoward about her growth to raise the suspicion that something was remarkably wrong with her spines ... until she was 10 years old. She took up the narrative. "My mom discovered my condition by chance. I was preparing to take my bath that fateful morning when I was already 10 years old. As I danced before the mirror with the towel tied around my chest, my mom grabbed my arm and would have spanked me, but she suddenly noticed a swelling on the right side of my spine and ran her hand on it. She asked if I felt any pain, to which I replied in the negative." Events unfolded rapidly afterwards, as Kofoworola was taken to the then State Specialist Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, where she was diagnosed with scoliosis, a disorder that leads to the curvature of the backbone. Even at that, it's not as if Kofoworola simply folded her arms and allowed things to take their course. The first of five children of retired accountant and teacher, Kofoworola obtained a degree in Zoology from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife in 2011 and had her national youth service in Ekiti State, her home state. Again, she has not relented in her efforts to find solution to the disorder, though the road has been tortuous, and assurances for successful treatment really lacking. Now 25, Kofoworola has three passions: one, to sensitise members of the public to the reality of the disorder so that doctors and patients alike can tackle it before it gets out of hand. She also desires to run a non-governmental organisation that will provide support and also serve as a succour to those suffering from the disorder. She says she needs help in this regard. "Complications of the disorder include difficulty in breathing and inability of the heart to pump blood efficiently, as the rib cage may press against the lungs and heart. Again, patients are more likely to have chronic back pain than are people in the general population. And as scoliosis worsens, it can lead to unlevelled shoulders, prominent ribs, uneven hips, and a shift of the waist and trunk to the side," the doctor says.

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Thank you for sharing. Came here from her book "The Little Lady with a Large Heart'. I stumbled on the book after googling CHM 101 OAU 🙂! God bless you!