Scoliosis Philippines launched its first-ever School Stripes Day at La Petite Learning Center Village East, Cainta, during the school’s Family Day. School Stripes Day aims to promote early scoliosis detection among children through the #StripesFitCheck Campaign, an engaging and interactive self-check method to be demonstrated at schools.
Understanding Scoliosis and the #StripesFitCheck Campaign
Scoliosis, a condition that causes the spine to curve abnormally, affects around 3 million Filipinos, with a higher prevalence among young girls. Early detection is crucial in preventing mild cases from becoming too severe. This is important because once scoliosis reaches the point of severity, therapy only works as far as pain management. The only way to correct the condition is through surgery, which can cost around PHP 500,000 to PHP 1,000,000.
To promote early detection, The #StripesFitCheck Campaign, spearheaded by Scoliosis Philippines, provides an accessible yet effective way for individuals to spot early, potential signs of scoliosis by using striped clothing: a t-shirt easily found in everyone’s closet. That is what makes it such a straightforward and helpful tool for pre-diagnosis.
The campaign puts a creative spin on social media’s popular and shareable “fit check” trend, encouraging individuals to wear striped shirts to check fordeviations in key body parts like the shoulders, arms, and hip levels—a common indicator of scoliosis. Influential Filipino personalities with scoliosis have participated in the campaign, sharing their personal journeys and encouraging their followers to join in spreading awareness.
This fun, yet informational tactic spearheaded online discussions about the importance of scoliosis. Causing some to realize that they too perhaps might have scoliosis.
Highlights from the #StripesFitCheck School Stripes DayThe pilot School Stripes Day at La Petite Learning Center featured a series of activities designed to educate students, parents, and teachers about scoliosis, that emphasized the importance of early detection.
Scoliosis warrior Sheila Andal explained the impact of the condition and the benefits of early detection. “Possible magkaroon ng scoliosis even at a young age. Most of the time, hindi ito nadedetect agad. Kaya madalas din, nalalaman nalang kung mild to severe scoliosis na siya.” (“It is possible to develop scoliosis even at a young age. Most of the time, it is not detected immediately. That’s why it is often only discovered when it has already progressed to mild or severe scoliosis.”)
She then introduced the #StripesFitCheck Session where students, assisted by faculty members, parents, and volunteers, participated in their own #StripesFitCheck, helping to identify potential cases of scoliosis.
Impact and Future Plans
The importance of the #StripesFitCheck Campaign was further reinforced when a scoliosis case was detected during the event, highlighting the crucial role of early screening in schools.
This pilot initiative at La Petite Learning Center marks the beginning of a nationwide effort, with School Stripes Day set to expand to more schools across the country. Through continued collaboration with educational institutions, the campaign aims to make scoliosis detection accessible and actionable for parents, educators, and most importantly, children, who stand to benefit the most from an early diagnosis as scoliosis begins to show from the ages of 10 onwards.