At the age of 16, elite basketball player K’den faced the challenge of scoliosis head-on, with the support of Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, and the expertise of Dr. Suken A. Shah.
“I was experiencing rib pain, and I didn’t know why,” K’den recalls. After a week of difficulty with walking prompted an emergency room visit, K’den quickly found that scoliosis was the cause of his pain.
For K’den, Nemours Children’s has always been a familiarity. “I have been a long-time patient,” he shares. “The way they’ve helped me throughout my life has been amazing.” At a young age, K’den received an asthma diagnosis, marking the beginning of his journey as a patient at Nemours Children’s Health. “I was in and out of the hospital seemingly every two weeks because I was struggling to breathe,” says K’den. “During an Emergency Room visit at Nemours Children’s, an X-ray was taken of my lungs. They found a dual Aortic Arch wrapped around my trachea.” Following hospital discharge, his parents received a call to schedule surgery to as soon as possible. K’den hasn’t experienced another breathing episode since middle school.
Discovering his scoliosis as a teenager, K’den felt nervous about facing surgery again. “I went through so much as a kid and to learn I had to have surgery again was devastating to me,” says K’den. “But I knew if I could overcome my struggles as a child, I would be strong enough to overcome the scoliosis surgery. The Nemours doctors, nurses and other clinicians have been so patient and understanding. They care about my well-being,” says K’den. “My favorite thing about them was how caring they were towards me during my worst time. I am grateful that Dr. Shah and his team provided me with such great service during my spinal fusion surgery.”
Today, K’den stands tall, fully recovered, and is back on the court, pursuing his passion for basketball. But his ambitions don’t end there. In the future, K’den plans to pursue a degree in medicine with the goal of becoming an orthopedic doctor. His experience has not only shaped his career aspirations but also fueled his desire to help others facing similar challenges. K’den also plans to continue his athletic career by playing on his college’s basketball team.
To others navigating a similar health journey, K’den says, “In the beginning, it is hard, but it gradually gets better. There may be some nights where either you or maybe you and your family may not get any sleep. But, if you have a strong mindset and take one step at a time, you’ll get through it. What helped me was getting as much exercise as I could after the surgery like going on little walks, or just walking around the house. To the parents, there are going to be some tears and some days where your child is like “I can’t do this” but just cry with them cause it’s going to be ok and motivate them.”
K’den’s journey reminds us that with courage, perseverance, and expert care, no challenge is insurmountable.
