The exhibition “A Curved Reality” at the Warren Alpert Medical School celebrates the stories of seven scoliosis patients, including Joxel Baez, who had surgery to align his spine. Photo by Corrie Pikul.
Exhibition at Brown’s medical school offers multi-faceted view of patients with scoliosis
On view at the Warren Alpert Medical School, a series of photographs of people with spine disorders introduces medical students, faculty, staff and visitors to patients and their stories.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] — A new art exhibition at Brown University’s Warren Alpert Medical School introduces viewers to the many sides of people living with spine disorders.
Visitors are greeted by two black-and-white photographs of each participant — one straight-on traditional portrait, and another of the person’s unclothed back — along with the subject’s name and story.
The exhibition, called “A Curved Reality” and created by the nonprofit Back to Healing in collaboration with a physician-scientist at the medical school, aims to advance understanding among the public and health care providers alike of the emotional impact of scoliosis.
The idea to display the photographs in the medical school lobby originated with Dr. Bassel Diebo, an assistant professor of orthopaedics at Brown and a spine and scoliosis surgeon with Lifespan Orthopedics Institute.
While medical students learn about spinal disorders through studying orthopaedics and neurosurgery, Diebo said they might not be fully aware of the effect of a curved back on a patient’s well-being. He hopes the exhibition will inspire students to learn more about spinal disorders and the impact that physicians who care for patients with scoliosis can have on those patients’ lives.
The exhibition’s photos intentionally include patients who have had surgery for scoliosis and those who have not, said Diebo, who has treated four of the participants.
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The exhibition was created by the nonprofit Back to Healing in collaboration with Dr. Bassel Diebo (left), a spine and scoliosis surgeon and an assistant professor of orthopaedics at Brown's Warren Alpert Medical School. Photo by Olufunke Akinrolabu.
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One of the photos in the exhibition features Melodie Goncalves, a recent college graduate who was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11. Photo by Corrie Pikul.
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Participant Gary Cournoyer posed with his portraits at a launch event for the exhibition at the Warren Alpert Medical School.
“The way that we physicians can, in a few hours with the help of anesthesia, change the shape of the human body to a shape that is less painful and perhaps more acceptable to the person seeking treatment is important for students to see,” Diebo said. “It reminds us that the point of all of the studying and exams is ultimately to be able to make a tremendous impact on a patient’s quality of life.”
Zarianne Dazulme poses with her portraits. Photo by Olufunke Akinrolabu.
Multiple views of scoliosis
Diebo had seen similar Back to Healing exhibitions online and in person, and was moved by the power of the portraits to evoke empathy. He then met Marcus John, who founded the organization to improve quality of life for people affected by scoliosis through mental health awareness, empowerment, education and advocacy. Diebo, who now serves as director of research for Back to Healing, felt the project would be a great fit with the Warren Alpert Medical School’s focus on treating the whole patient, including beyond their physical condition.
“A Curved Reality” highlights and celebrates the stories of seven scoliosis patients, ranging in age from 11 to 75 years old. In the accompanying stories, each shares their thoughts about how their spinal condition has affected their lives. All of the photographs were captured by Rhode Island resident and photographer Bilindoff Joseph.
The portrait photos of Joxel Baez show large eyes framed by long lashes; the back photos reveal a surgical scar running from his neck, just under the ends of his braids, to his waist. In his story, Baez shares that while he was initially nervous “and a bit scared” when he was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 17, he was also relieved to have an explanation for his back pain.
Not all patients have external scars, and a nonprofessional eye viewing the back photo of Melodie Goncalves may pay more attention to the butterfly tattoo on her neck than the line of her spine. Goncalves, who was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 11, shared this reflection: “I sometimes feel stressed because I feel it shouldn’t be a big deal, but it is for me. It affects me and what I can do as I get older.”
Both attention-getting spinal disorders as well as those that are invisible to others can have a profound effect on a patient, Diebo said. He’s conducted research showing a relatively low awareness of scoliosis, and has found that patients in underserved areas experience a disadvantage in terms of accessing treatment. Diebo hopes the exhibition will bring awareness to scoliosis and address stigma of spine curvatures.
“I’d like viewers to see that it’s normal to have scoliosis, and it’s also normal to have treatment or surgery or scars,” Diebo said.
The exhibit in the Warren Alpert Medical School at 222 Richmond St. in Providence is open to the public on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. through September.
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