>> Anchor: SCOLIOSIS THREATEN
CAREER
>> Anchor: UNTIL HER MOTHER
TOOK ACTION AND FOUND A DOCTOR
TO HELP.
JAMIE EDMONDS COMPLAINS HOW
14-YEAR-OLD WAS ABLE TO GET BACK
TO WHAT SHE LOVES THE MOST.
>> Reporter: FOR REAGAN
RUNNING IS EVERYTHING.
>> I LOVE TO RUN SO MUCH.
LIKE SOMETIMES I WILL COMPLAIN
ABOUT IT BECAUSE I AM TIRED BUT
POWER IN IT.
>> Reporter: 14-YEAR-OLD RUNS
TRACK FOR LANCE CRUISE NORTH.
HURDLES ARE THE SPECIALTY.
>> JUMP OVER HURDLES AND FINISH
AT THE FINISH LINE FEELS AMAZING
>> SOMETHING BIGGER IN THE WAY
OF THE DREAMS.
AGO.
>> WE WENT AND THEY TOLD ME I
HAD SCOLIOSIS
>> Reporter: NEARING FAMILY
SHOCKED BUT IT DID MAKE SENSE
BECAUSE THEIR DAUGHTER WAS
ALWAYS IN PAIN
>> SHE WOULD CROSS THE FINISH
LINE IN TEARS.
PAIN IN THE BACK RADIATING
>> Reporter: CAUSE OF THE PAIN
IS CURB -- CURVE OF THE SPINE
AND PROGRESSING QUICKLY.
DOCTORS HERE IN MICHIGAN FITTED
HER WITH A BRACE THAT SHE HAD TO
WEAR MOST OF THE DAY
>> MADE OUT OF PLASTIC.
OF 24 HOURS
>> Reporter: THAT TOO WAS
PAINFUL AND BRACE DID NOT SEEM
TO BE WORKING
>> HER ORTHOPEDIC DOCTORS WAS
DOWN.
NORMALLY THE BRACE DOES NOT FIX
IT BUT SLOWS IT DOWN.
AND THEY KIND OF USED TO BUY
TIME OF UNTIL YOU HAVE A FUSION
LATER IN LIFE.
FAST
>> Reporter: DOCTORS TOLD
REAGAN THAT SHE NEEDED A SPINAL
FUSION AND RECOVERY TIME WOULD
BE SIX MONTHS OR LONGER AND IT
MOBILITY.
FUTURE.
THAT DID NOT SIT WELL WITH KERRY
NEARING SO MANY ADVANCEMENTS IN
MEDICINE, IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO
BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS NOTHING
ELSE THAT COULD BE DONE
>> Reporter: THAT'S WHEN MOM
WENT ONLINE.
DID RESEARCH.
AND FOUND THE TOP PEDIATRIC
SPINE SURGEONS IN THE COUNTRY.
AND SOON FAMILY FLYING FROM
DETROIT TO NEW YORK TO INSTITUTE
FOR SPINE AND SCOLIOSIS.
WHERE A DOCTOR PIONEERED NEW
TYPE OF SURGERY
>> IN THE PAST WE HAVE DONE A
MIDDLE ROD FUSION.
FIXED IN ONE POSITION.
MOBILITY.
SO THIS SURGERY SPECIFICALLY
BUT WITH MOBILITY
>> Reporter: SURGERY CALLED
ANTERIOR SCOLIOSIS CORRECTIONS
LESS INVASIVE THAN SPINAL FUSION
AND IT DOES NOT LIMIT MOBILITY.
GO IN THROUGH SIDE AND PUT BOLTS
INSIDE AND TETHER IT WITH
STRINGS AND TIGHTEN IT TO
STRAIGHTEN THE SPINE.
DOWN TIME SIX WEEKS.
NOT SIX MONTHS.
AND REAGAN'S SURGERY WAS
SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 17 OF LAST
YEAR.
>> I WAS A LITTLE NERVOUS.
BUT I HAD TALKED TO OTHER KIDS
THAT HAD SURGERY.
AND THEY TOLD ME LIKE IT WAS
GOING TO BE OKAY
>> Reporter: SIX DAYS IN THE
HOSPITAL IN NEW YORK.
SIX WEEKS OUT OF SCHOOL.
SURGERY HAS WORKED FOR REAGAN.
HER X-RAYS.
AND SHE SAID IT HAS GOTTEN
BEST PART.
LOVES.
>> KIND OF CRAZY I AM BACK AT
TRACK.
BUT THEN I THINK, I DON'T KNOW,
IT IS KIND OF AMAZING.
>> Reporter: BEST PART FOR HER
MOM?
REAGAN IS PAIN FREE.
>> THEY SAVED HER LIFE.
GAVE HER QUALITY OF LIFE BACK.
SHE WAS.
GIVEN BACK.
>> Reporter: AS FAR AS REAGAN
IS CONCERNED HER SPINAL ISSUES
ARE BEHIND HER.
NOW SHE IS LOOKING FORWARD TO
HOPEFULLY IMPROVING HER TIME AND
MAKING VARSITY NEXT YEAR.
LANCE CRUISE NORTH.
JAMIE EDMONDS LOCAL 4.
>> Anchor: WE WERE WATCHING
THAT SANDRA SAID WHEN WE LOOK AT
THE HARDWARE AND VIEWS AND HARD
TO LOOK AT IT.
LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE
>> WHEN YOU SEE HER RUNNING LIKE
INCREDIBLE.
SPECIAL.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE FOR
TOMORROW NIGHT AT 11:00.
>> USING WATER TO MOTIVATE.
>> I FEEL HAPPY BECAUSE NOT A
LOT OF PEOPLE GET TO DO THIS
>> THEY HAD TO EARN THEIR WAY
INTO THE PROGRAM
>> WHY THE INCENTIVE MATTERS NOW
AND IN THE FUTURE
>> HELPS ME TO LEARN
WAY TO SUCCESS.