National Osteoporosis Foundation

Today is World Osteoporosis Day! And Osteoporosis prevention is my personal platform issue!!!

It was such an honor to be invited to speak at the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF)event this morning at the Lakeside Mall in Sterling Heights and participate in their "walk." I arrived bright and early at 7:30am and stayed until it's conclusion until 9:30am. I finally had the chance to meet the woman I have been working with since January 2007! Her name is Kris House and she is the Event Coordinator at the Headquarter offices in Washington, D.C. It was so nice to finally meet her and put a face with her voice!!! I brought her a bouquet of flowers to thank her for all of the help and information she has given to me this year and to congratulate her on her recent engagement!

In partnership with NOF, the Ladies Home Journal staff was also at the event! I had the opportunity to meet some very special ladies associated with their magazine! I was then introduced to the event partcicipants and spoke about my passion for informing teens and younger children about the importance of preventing Osteoporosis. I shared my story and how I became the youngest member (at 16) of NOF. Then we had a brief warm up with stretching exercises and then we were led through the mall for a one mile trek! The mall wasn't even open yet because it was so early, but it gave me the opportunity to meet some lovely elders and speak about an issue that is close to my heart!!! :)

I also had my very first Bone Density test today! This was a heel test (not a full body scan) but it was a good start and it usually requires that you must be 18 years of age to have this test. I feel it is imparitive that I set an example for other teens and young adults to be tested early so my mom gave her permission for me to be tested and begin planning for my own personal prevention of Osteoporosis! The test was totally pain free! I put my left heel in a machine that registered numbers and tested my bones to see if they were healthy or not. My bone density test range was normal!! YEAH! And now I have a base line with which to compare every year! :)

I became involved with this organization, one year ago, as I was preparing for another pageant, in another system, that required me to perform a talent. I chose to dance! I was fortunate enough to have a former Miss Michigan choreograph a beautiful contemporary theatrical dance to Barry Manilow's "Copacabana!" I LOVE this dance! As I was rehearsing part of it, I was required to run across the dance floor, drop down to the floor on my hip and slide toward the judges (in this case the mirrored wall) but when I dropped to the floor to slide I came to a complete stop. I knew immediately that I had injured my back. It was like a stabbing needles all around my spine/vertebrae.

I did not see a doctor for 3 weeks thinking the pain would eventually go away. I ended up in a Chiropractors office. I had x-rays taken and it was determined that I have Scoliosis (at 12% which we now know does not qualify as a "true" scoliosis which would be 20%) and I also had noticed that my left side of my ribcage was hurting so I asked him what it could possibly be. Scaring me half to death, he informed me it could "possibly be" a bone tumor on my ribcage. I left the office terrified thinking that, at 15 years old at the time, I might have a tumor so I looked for anything I could find on the Internet about bone care and bone health. (I learned that I never had a tumor ~ it is just extra cartlidge that had grown at the tip of my ribcage.) That is when I found the National Osteoporosis Foundation! I read everything on that website and noticed that they didn't have information for teens or younger kids either. I wrote to NOF and told them that I would be interested in being their National Teen Spokesperson to bring awareness and education to my peers! I have been working very hard to learn all the information I can about Osteoporosis and how to prevent it. I believe that the decisions we make today about our bodies will effect our future. We need to begin taking care of ourselves now, not later!

I am so happy that I was able to participate with NOF this morning as it is World Osteoporosis Day and I encourage all of you to begin to take care of yourselves too! :)