Now 18, Erick has defied the odds. He recently underwent several life-changing spinal surgeries at Cedars-Sinai—the only hospital the Rivera family says gave them hope after nearly two decades.

Erick was born with Escobar syndrome, also called multiple pterygium syndrome, a group of rare genetic disorders that can lead to severe skeletal deformities and even death. The condition causes joints to contract and stiffen, limiting normal movement. Patients often also develop a severe spinal curvature.

The diagnosis came with an uncertain future, and physicians back in their home country offered little treatment, hope or guidance. Ramon and his wife, Viena, relentlessly searched for answers. They held onto faith even as one doctor told them Erick was a lost cause.

“I’ll never forget what that doctor said,” Ramon recalled. “He told us we were wasting our time and should start saving money for Erick’s funeral. But as parents, we can’t just accept a ‘no’ when it comes to our child’s life.”

Twisted Spine, Risky Options

Over time, Erick’s condition had progressed so dramatically that his chin was fused to his chest, and the back of his head rested on his spine. His scoliosis and kyphosis—curvatures of the spine in multiple directions—left him unable to sit up straight or breathe comfortably.

The family’s journey brought them thousands of miles from Honduras to Los Angeles and to the care of pediatric spine surgeon Kenneth Illingworth, MD, director of Pediatric Orthopaedic Trauma at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s.

“His spine looked like an accordion,” Illingworth said. “His ear was resting on his shoulder, causing skin breakdown and severe pain just sitting in his wheelchair. It was one of the most complex and extreme spinal deformities I’ve ever seen.”

Despite the risks associated with such a complex surgery, including paralysis and death, the family decided to move forward.

“We hadn’t come this far to give up,” Ramon said. “Dr. Illingworth told us, ‘We can either do nothing or do something.’ And he believed something could be done.”

Leaps of Faith

Erick uprooted his life and spent more than three months at Cedars-Sinai while undergoing a series of three surgeries to slowly and safely correct his spinal deformity.

First, Illingworth and his team placed a halo traction device around Erick’s head to gently stretch and align the spine over several weeks. Then came a procedure to release the congenital spinal fusions contributing to the curvature. Finally, Erick underwent a complex neck-to-pelvis spinal fusion that changed the trajectory of his life.

Erick’s nurse navigator throughout his care at Cedars-Sinai, Meliza Perales, RN, said she’ll never forget the young man’s resilience.

“We called him the ‘thumbs-up kid,’” Perales said. “Even after surgery, when he was in pain or tired, he always had a smile and a thumbs-up for us. He brought joy to our unit, and it was clear he was fighting every day—not just for himself, but for his parents, too.”

While Viena stayed by Erick’s bedside and Ramon continued working to support the family, both parents drew strength from their son’s unshakable spirit.

“He never lost hope. And he never stopped smiling,” Ramon said. “That gave us the strength to keep going.”

Whole New Life

The surgery and treatment results have been transformative.

Erick has gained several inches in height. He can breathe more easily, sit upright, and go about his day without pain. He has started learning English and is eager to pursue new academic and personal goals.

“I feel so much better—infinitely better, physically and mentally,” Erick said. “My health improved, my self-esteem improved—everything improved.”

For Illingworth, Erick’s case is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when families and medical teams work together with courage and trust.

“Ramon and Viena never stopped advocating for their son,” Illingworth said. “And Erick never gave up. That combination—plus a team willing to take on tough cases—made all the difference.”

With Father’s Day approaching, Ramon says he doesn’t need any gifts this year. He already has everything he could ever want.

“As a father, all you want is for your child to have a chance,” Ramon said. “We were blessed with that chance—and we’ll never forget everyone who helped us get here.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Seeking a Second Opinion for a Spine Condition

Momentum Spine, a graduate of the Cedars-Sinai Accelerator program, is an AI, mobile spine-imaging and monitoring platform. The platform personalizes the monitoring of spinal deformities while reducing the lifelong consequences of repeated radiation exposure.

“This technology is a true game changer, allowing many of our patients outside Southern California to receive radiation-free scoliosis assessments without the need for travel,” said David Skaggs, MD, co-director of Cedars-Sinai Spine, executive vice chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and director of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children's. “Scoliosis can progress rapidly in growing children; this tool allows us to monitor changes closely and intervene early when needed.”

The pilot program, launched at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s, centers on Momentum Spine’s AI-driven, 3D-scanning technology, which enables radiation-free scoliosis assessments and digital models of the patient’s spine.

Parents can utilize the Momentum Spine application on their mobile phones to record a 45-second video of their child standing still while the parent walks around their child. This video is then automatically converted into a 3D model and analyzed by AI to determine the Cobb angle—a measurement used by healthcare providers—to determine the degree of spinal curvature in conditions like scoliosis. Both the 3D model and the analysis results are shared with the care team through a secure web portal. 

Patients also get electronic sensors that are fitted into the custom-fitted back braces. Through the advanced sensor technology and AI-driven, 3D analytics, clinicians can optimize treatment strategies while providing personalized feedback to patients and their families.

Traditionally, physicians rely on in-person visits, X-rays and self-reported brace compliance to treat scoliosis patients.

"Momentum Spine empowers parents to partner with their child’s doctor by providing real-time tracking of brace wear and scoliosis progression,” said Elaine Butterworth, RN, pediatric nurse navigator and the director of Patient Experience and Education for the Pediatric Spine Program. “By increasing compliance and reducing the need for frequent in-person visits, this technology enhances both patient care and peace of mind for families."

Patients also benefit from reduced travel—especially for those in rural areas. The app also enables closer monitoring and earlier intervention when necessary.

“Cedars-Sinai is the first health system to integrate Momentum Spine with both 3D scanning and brace sensors into its pediatric clinics,” said Philippe Miller, CEO of Momentum Health. “This collaboration is a significant step forward in spinal health, as we share the same goal—to ensure every child receives the best possible scoliosis care.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Seeking a Second Opinion for a Spine Condition

When Grace was 12, her father, an orthopedic surgeon, gave her a hug and noticed that something wasn’t quite right.

“I remember my dad hugged me and was feeling my back and said, ‘you have scoliosis,’ I didn’t even know what that was,” said Grace. “I didn’t think it was a big deal, I thought I was fine and thought he was just being weird, but it turns out I had scoliosis.”

Grace, who grew up appearing in popular shows and movies like The Handmaid’s Tale, Young Sheldon, I, Tonya and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, began to notice her physical appearance gradually morphing into someone else.

By the time Grace turned 16, her scoliosis began to affect her work. For red carpet events, she would have her dresses altered so that one side was longer than the other to camouflage her scoliosis. On stage and in front of the cameras, Grace would stand as straight as she could, but by the end of the day, she would be tired and in pain.

“I had started to notice just how crooked I was standing and so were people around me,” said Grace. “I'd get in trouble on set all the time. They'd always be telling me, ‘Stand up straight,’ ‘Stop slouching,’ ‘Mckenna, you're on your mark, but you're all the way over here,’ ‘We need you to stand up,’ and so on.”

As Grace's quality of life declined, her parents could not watch their daughter in pain and knew that if her career was to continue, surgical intervention would need to be considered. Grace’s father heard of the right surgeon for the job: David Skaggs, MD, director of Pediatric Spine and Pediatric Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s. 

When Grace met with Skaggs, her spine was at a 50-degree curve.

“What was unique about Mckenna is that her waist really looked asymmetrical, the layperson could see from across the room that something was going on,” said Skaggs. “When she bent forward she had a big hump on her back and she was becoming increasingly aware of it.”

With her rapidly deteriorating spine, Skaggs agreed that spinal surgery was the best option. The catch—she would need to heal and recover ahead of filming for the second Ghostbusters film.  

“She asked me, ‘is there any way I could have surgery and carry a 40-pound pack?’ I said, Of course you can. We'll get you back to filming.”

Skaggs and his multidisciplinary team got to work and performed spinal surgery, inserting metal rods, also known as spinal instrumentation, and screws across six vertebrates to straighten her spine.

“The reason we have surgery and care for these kids is so they can return to a normal life,” said Skaggs. “Now when we look at Mckenna, you can almost not tell that she ever had scoliosis or surgery. Mckenna’s body looks perfectly symmetrical and she’s over an inch-and-a-half taller.”

Following her successful surgery Grace took to social media to share her journey and encourage others.

“Mckenna was a rockstar,” said Elaine Butterworth, RN, pediatric nurse navigator and the director of Patient Experience and Education for the Pediatric Spine Program. “I remember her videotaping herself getting out of bed for the first time, when she was at her most vulnerable time and she not only recorded it but later posted it to help other kids.”

Back in the spotlight, Grace was standing tall and straight—just in time to walk the Ghostbusters carpet.

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Supporting the Spine From Adolescence to Adulthood.

Sixteen-year-old Rishee Ray is making history at Cedars-Sinai as the first pediatric patient to undergo halo-gravity traction ahead of spinal surgery.

Rishee has spent most of his life in a wheelchair due to a condition known as spinal muscular atrophy, a group of inherited diseases that affect the muscles responsible for voluntary movement in the body. 

The condition caused Rishee to develop severe scoliosis, with a 135-degree curve in his spine that was compressing vital organs and impairing his ability to sit upright. Additionally, he developed severe kyphosis, another dramatic curve from the side of his spine.

“When we looked at the right side of the chest, we could see his ribs literally stacked on top of each other, causing severe restrictive lung disease,” said Kenneth Illingworth, MD, pediatric spine surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s. “Not only that, but there was also severe shoulder imbalance and coronal imbalance when he was sitting down.”

Illingworth said that to correct the extreme curvature in Rishee’s spine, spinal fusion surgery was the best option. However, because the curvature was so severe, surgery would have to wait while Rishee underwent a different treatment.  

“When you have curves that are that large, it makes it extremely challenging to operate on,” said Illingworth. “It also makes it extremely dangerous to the spinal cord.”

As a prelude to surgery, Illingworth recommended halo-gravity traction, a method that gently stretches and straightens the spine using a lightweight metal ring or halo that is attached to the skull with small pins.

Once the halo is in place around the head, it is attached to a pulley system, and weights are gradually added to slowly straighten the curved or compressed spine.

Most halo-gravity traction procedures on children last between three and eight weeks. For Rishee, it was a five-week process.

“At first it was difficult; it was this new thing on my head, but I got used to it,” said Rishee.

Pooja Ray, Rishee's mother, provided constant support, staying by Rishee’s side day and night, sleeping alongside him at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s.

“We’ve been in the hospital for 40 days, but we have a purpose, so I don’t give my comfort that much of a thought, my goal was more important,” Pooja said.

The process ultimately yielded remarkable results.

Halo-gravity traction reduced Rishee’s curvature by half, decreasing it from 135 to approximately 70 degrees. And the straightening gave Rishee an additional three inches in height.

“I know it looks barbaric, but trust me, it’s one of the best procedures when you have to do corrective scoliosis treatment,” said Pooja.

After the halo traction device proved successful, Illingworth proceeded with the spinal fusion surgery, providing Rishee with relief from the severe lung compression he had been enduring and improving his daily comfort in his wheelchair—a critical element of his everyday life.

With the successful surgery behind him, Rishee can now sit upright, igniting a newfound sense of hope and optimism for his future.

“I feel more confident,” said Rishee. “I am able to control my neck and body better and can hold my head up and sit up straight without any external support.”

Rishee, who divides his time between India and Los Angeles, is back to his hobbies of swimming and painting and is pursuing higher education. He feels tremendous gratitude to his care team at Cedars-Sinai and to his mother.

“My mom was a great support, both emotionally and physically,” said Rishee. “Without her, this couldn’t have been possible.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Seeking a Second Opinion for a Spine Condition

“We have a new understanding of bracing from recent studies that showed wearing a brace just at nighttime does some good,” said David Skaggs, MD, executive vice chair of the Department of Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai and director of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s. “So, we are now more aggressive about trying to prevent scoliosis from getting to the point where you need surgery or even that you would need to wear a brace to school as a teenager.”

Scoliosis can develop in infancy or early childhood, affecting more than 100,000 children in the United States each year. Early detection is key as is following the condition throughout a young person’s life.

“One of the unique features of the Pediatric Spine Program at Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s  is we have nurse navigators who will follow you from before your first appointment to after you go away to college, guiding you through your journey,” Skaggs said. “You’re also not just gaining access to pediatric treatment but to all of Cedars-Sinai Spine, one of the largest spine centers in the nation. We can offer continuity of care for the rest of your life.”

During Scoliosis Awareness Month in June, the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom spoke with Skaggs about the latest developments in pediatric scoliosis, treatment options and how to identify it.

What are the signs of scoliosis?

“Scoliosis in the simplest form is a curved spine of 10 degrees or more. In reality, it’s a bit more complicated because the spine is not only curved, but it’s twisted. That’s important because one, it might make somebody look like they have a big hump in their back, and two, it twists around the lungs, so it compromises someone's ability to take a full breath.”

How is scoliosis normally identified?

“The most common type of scoliosis is teenage scoliosis, which is called adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. That is what people are generally screened for in schools and it’s the most common reason why a patient is referred to a specialist for scoliosis. Parents can also look for a lack of symmetry in a child’s back when they’re bent over at the waist and raise any concerns with their pediatrician or a spine specialist, who will use an X-ray to make a definitive diagnosis.”

Why don’t some patients get diagnosed until they’re teenagers?

“Most of the time when someone has scoliosis, they don’t even know they have it because there’s no symptoms, no pain or other issues going on. They start to notice their body looks just a little bit sideways, maybe one shoulder is a little bit higher, or one side of the chest protrudes a little bit. It’s quite subtle the body changes that take place over time and the lack of pain or other problems often mean that the scoliosis is not diagnosed for years.”

How is scoliosis treated?

“There are only two options to treat scoliosis that are scientifically proven. One is surgery, and that’s the last resort. Any teenager or person in their early 20’s, if the curve is over 45 to 50 degrees, surgery should be considered unless there are extenuating circumstances. What we want to do is prevent the need for surgery. The other is bracing and what a brace does in general is stop the scoliosis from progressing.”

Is a brace still effective if only worn at night?

“From a recent study we learned that in patients who are less than 10 years old, even with a small amount of scoliosis like 15 or 20 degrees, starting part-time bracing at night only can actually reverse or improve the scoliosis. So, one of the ways that we've changed how we treat patients at Cedars-Sinai Spine, is we're more likely to recommend part-time bracing earlier for smaller curves. It’s understandable that many patients don’t want to wear a brace to school, and it’s probably better to wear it at night than not wear it at all.”

Are there any new options for surgical treatment?

“One newer option for some eligible patients allows us to correct the spine’s curve without fusing the spine—vertebral body tethering. It allows motion and growth over time. You take a curve and around the outside of the curve you basically put in screws and a rope. Then you allow the inside of the curve to grow, and the outside doesn't grow, it straightens. While it can shorten recovery time for those who qualify, it’s not right for everyone who needs surgery.”

Read more on the Cedars-Sinai Blog: Supporting the Spine From Adolescence to Adulthood.