A YOUNGSTER who needs to undergo life-changing surgery on her spine has been given hope by a teenager whose story was featured in the Lancashire Telegraph.

Lauryn Brogden, from Padiham, suffers from a curve in her spine and has been living with daily back pain for several years.

But, in recent weeks, doctors have become increasingly concerned as the bend grew to 64 degrees.

The 13-year-old, of Ruskin Avenue, is now on the waiting list for surgery at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, in Liverpool, and hopes the procedure will help her stand straight, and lie down, without pain.

Though nervous about the surgery, Lauryn and her mum Susan are feeling more upbeat after reading the story of 14-year-old Burnley schoolgirl Jessica Ingham, who has had succesful surgery for a similar condition.

Susan, who works at Burnley aerospace firm Aircelle, said: “It was so good to see the before, and after, pictures of Jessica, and how quickly she recovered.

“Lauryn was diagnosed with ideopathic scoliosis and doctors have been checking every few months to see how the curve has progressed.

“It’s gradually got worse, and now they want to operate because it’s gone so far – about a month ago it had got to 64 degrees.

“If you look at Lauryn, she’s got a curvy hip on one side, but on the other side her waist is dead straight, so her whole body is being pulled to one side. She gets really bad lower back ache and it’s really uncomfortable when she lies on her back.”

Though Lauryn’s movement will be restricted by the surgery, due to plates and brackets being inserted, she says this will be far better than the pain she currently lives with.

Lauryn, a pupil at Unity College, Burnley, said: “I hope I’ll be able to do more stuff and lie down without any pain. And I hope my body will look better because now it looks like I’m leaning and not walking straight.”