Princess Eugenie admits feeling 'embarrassed' over scoliosis surgery that left her with scar
Eugenie had surgery when she was 12Princess Eugenie has opened up about undergoing scoliosis surgery when she was a child, which left her with a scar.
The 35-year-old admitted in a new interview that she felt a “very embarrassed” over her scoliosis surgery.
She also revealed how she has come to embrace her scar down her spine.
What is the story of Princess Eugenie’s scoliosis?
During a new interview with The Telegraph, Princess Eugenie opened up about her experience with scoliosis.
Scoliosis is when the spine twists and curves to one side. It can affect people of any age, but is most commonly found in children between the ages of 10-15.
According to the NHS website, you can live perfectly normally with scoliosis. However, a small number of people and children require surgery to fix the issue.
It’s believed that the condition affects between 2-3% of the UK population – meaning more than two million people in the UK have scoliosis.
Scoliosis is estimated to affect seven million people in the United States (2% to 3% of the population).
Princess Eugenie had surgery on her spine back in 2002 when she was 12 years old.
The princess had rods inserted into each side of her spine during the eight-hour operation. She spent three days in intensive care and then a week on the spinal ward. Eugenie then spent six days in a wheelchair before she was able to walk after the surgery.
Princess Eugenie on feeling ’embarrassed’ of scoliosis surgery
Before her surgery, Eugenie admitted she felt “very embarrassed about the whole thing”.
In the months that followed her surgery, Eugenie needed help to turn over in bed, and had to wear a back brace for further support.
Eugenie has previously spoken about her scoliosis on Instagram.
“My mum caught my scoliosis early and I was lucky enough to get the help I needed at 12 years old. I thank her so much for that and also thank her for the confidence to be proud of my scar,” she wrote.
“She removed all the stigma around having scoliosis for me by confidently showing people what I’d been through and it took all the fear and anxiety out of being different at such a young age. I am forever grateful and wish everyone to be proud of their scars,” she added.
Now, in her new interview, Eugenie admitted that though she felt “shame” over not being able to wash and dress herself post surgery, she has learned to embrace her scar.
Princess Eugenie ‘trained her brain’ to see scar as ‘cool’
“All of sudden it was a badge of honour – a cool thing I had. It trained my brain that it’s OK, scars are cool,” she told The Telegraph.
“It became a positive memory, a part of me, that I could do something with in the future. I could help heal other people.”
Eugenie has since become a patron of the charity, Horatio’s Garden, which provides NHS spinal injury centres with gardens used by those recovering from spinal injuries and surgeries.
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