About Us
We are a student-led non-profit organization that aims to raise awareness and provide a community for scoliosis as
chronic conditions can often feel isolating, especially when there is limited awareness about it. We aim to educate the general community on scoliosis and its treatment options. We do this through informational health and scoliosis-related posts on Instagram and Xiaohongshu, hosting workshops both virtually and in-real-life, and redistributing medical resources to reduce environmental impact. We have many one-time volunteers who support our cause, but at our core is a dedicated team of 30+ students from 9 countries and 6 states united with one goal.
Where our Volunteers are Based:
In numbers:
19
countries
10
states
41
cities
150
volunteers
Meet Our Founding Team
Sophia Ling
President
Hi! My name’s Sophia and I’m from Hong Kong. I love all things literature, music and computer science, so I'm also the web developer for Scoliostars! As someone who has struggled with scoliosis myself, I felt that there was not enough awareness and support for scoliosis patients. I founded ScolioStars because I often felt isolated through my diagnosis, and after experiencing that, I felt a pressing need to provide resources that can help other scoliosis patients going through the same thing that I did. I want them to know that they’re not alone in this by sharing other stories; I want them to understand their ‘disability’ through informational articles; I want non-patients to know about and understand scoliosis by raising awareness. I hope that through ScolioStars, I will be able to provide useful resources and create a supportive community for other scoliosis warriors — which is what I wish I could’ve had through my diagnosis.
Hinano Smith
Vice-President
Hello! My name is Hinano. I’m 16 years old and currently live in Hiroshima, Japan, although I’m originally from Seattle. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 13, and had spinal fusion surgery that following year at age 14. Although my scoliosis journey was very hard at certain points, I’m grateful to have been able to learn to be kind towards other people alongside myself along the way, as everyone carries their own struggles and insecurities regardless of their health situation or if they have an illness or not. Through joining ScolioStars, I hope to be able to contribute in spreading awareness for scoliosis, as well as a sense of understanding and acceptance amongst people for our struggles as well as joy!
Ariel Xu
Vice-President & Events Director
Hi! I’m Ariel Xu, currently a Year 11 student at St. Paul’s Convent School in Hong Kong. It’s truly an honor to serve as the Vice President and Event Director of our team. I have a strong passion for biology and understanding diseases, and I’m always eager to learn more about the human body and how we can take better care of it. When I’m not catching up on sleep, you’ll probably find me drawing, writing creatively, or pitching ideas—I love expressing myself through art and storytelling. I’m really excited to work together to raise awareness for scoliosis and help promote early prevention.
Eloise Li
Social Media & Marketing Director
Hey everyone! My name is Eloise Li, a sophomore from Chicago. My journey with scoliosis began at 14 when I was diagnosed with a 15-degree curve. Through years of physical therapy, I not only regained my health but also learned how profoundly scoliosis impacts every aspect of life. That made me realize how little awareness exists around scoliosis prevention and the emotional challenges patients face. I want to use social media to amplify voices, share resources, and break the stigma. I geek out over data analytics and market research too! At ScolioStars, I hope to combine these skills with my personal story to educate others, foster a supportive community, and ultimately create a future where no one feels alone in their scoliosis journey.
Grace Yu
Outreach Director
Hello! My name is Grace Yu, and I'm a rising senior from Texas. I joined ScolioStars because I want to reach more individuals in order to educate and treat scoliosis more effectively. In Texas, access to health is a pressing concern, many people have trouble with access to the hospitals or to the care they need. Scoliosis, while common, is perhaps underappreciated and not as well noticed, and that underappreciation has the potential to generate stigma and delay treatment. Through ScolioStars, I also look forward to creating more public awareness about scoliosis and improving access to health information and resources. I am eager to collaborate with more organizations and make a positive difference together in our communities.
Victoria Cao
Research Director
Hey everyone, I'm Victoria Cao from Hefei, China. I’m 16 years old and an an energetic person who loves connecting with people, and can't ignore problems around me. That’s why I joined ScolioStars to support teens with scoliosis. As an avid dancer, I lead related workshops and events. This has taught me how to listen, adapt, and rally a team. I care about scoliosis because how alone many teens feel after receiving their diagnosis and the limited public understanding that creates stigma surrounding this topic. I now want to use my voice to share their stories. At ScolioStars, I hope to be able to educate others with informational posts and magazine articles about daily challenges and other topics related to scoliosis!
Lucy Yang
Content Director
Hi everyone, I’m Lucy Yang and I’m the content director at ScolioStars. I’m currently studying in California even though I grew up in Guangzhou. As someone with scoliosis, I’ve been braced for nearly 5 years now. For a long time, going to physical therapy checkups felt discouraging. Living with scoliosis has been, and still is, a journey of self-acceptance learning to embrace my imperfections. I adjusted to sleeping in my brace every night, even when it made breathing difficult. At the clinic, I met many others with similar experiences, some facing far more severe challenges than mine. Seeing their strength made me deeply grateful for understanding my own condition and having the chance to treat it. That’s why I joined ScolioStars. I wanted to start by sharing my story to support this community I belong to. My hope is to connect with others who’ve walked this path, amplify their voices, and help more people recognize, understand, and take scoliosis seriously.
Yoyo Qu
Research Team Member & Magazine Editor-in-Chief
Hi! I’m Yoyo Qu. Born in Tianjin and raised in Beijing, I grew up like any other kid – until eighth grade, when I was diagnosed with scoliosis. At the time, the news felt devastating, even dreadful. I worried about how it would change my life, my body, and the way others saw me. But what I didn’t expect was how this journey would reshape my perspective. Instead of breaking me, scoliosis taught me resilience. I learned to embrace the parts of myself I once saw as “flawed” and discovered strength I never knew I had. More importantly, it opened my eyes to the struggles of others facing similar challenges. I became more compassionate, more patient, and determined to turn my experience into something meaningful. That’s why I’m proud to be part of ScolioStars, a team dedicated not only to raising awareness, but also fostering acceptance.
Jade Liu
Co-President
Hi! My name’s Sophia and I’m from Hong Kong. I love all things literature and music, but other than that, I'm also an advocate. As someone who has struggled with scoliosis myself, I felt that there was not enough awareness and support for scoliosis patients. I founded ScolioStars because I often felt isolated through my diagnosis, and after experiencing that, I felt a pressing need to provide resources that can help other scoliosis patients going through the same thing that I did. I want them to know that they’re not alone in this by sharing other stories; I want them to understand their ‘disability’ through informational articles; I want non-patients to know about and understand scoliosis by raising awareness. I hope that through ScolioStars, I will be able to provide useful resources and create a supportive community for other scoliosis warriors — which is what I wish I could’ve had through my diagnosis.
Team Members & Past Volunteers
We could not do what we have done without our amazing volunteers, whether they have served with us for a short time or long-term, we are extremely grateful for everyone's support. Listed in no particular order is our current team members & our past volunteers' names in recognition of their time and the effort they put into this organization.
Citron Shen
Yoyo Qu
Ally Xu
Luna Cai
Chenxi Lee
April Xu
Brian Huang
Vivian Yang
Kloe Chua
Ellie Chen
Durong Song
Christin Zhuo
Ayesha Qadir
Nina Zhang
Reese Chen
Lydia Liu
Lizi Meinhold
Pingchuan Wei
Pinglan Wei
Sheeta Zhao
Jaiden Bloodworth
Caleb Johnson
Joanna Valquez
Subhe Tashreen
Jannatul Ferdaus Emte Raisa
Jade Liu
Grace Yu
Lucy Yang
Jessica Jia
Sophie He
Annie Su
Sophie Tian
Cynthia Wang
Selina Wang
Camilla Tang
Fatima Nadeem
Sezim Anarbekova
Kenzabelle Rebiai
Noemi
Channing Payne
Hope Parker
Audrey Parker
Fang Fang
Leo Wang
Queenie Li
Waseka
Tafannum Tasnim Lamia
Maliha Ahsan
Miftahul Jannat
Madeleine Barot
Bence Toth
Stephanie
Yashira Rodriguez
Grace Turner
Fee Gabrielle
Japleen Kaur
Christie Chan
Shriya Narasimhan
Kaelyn Dave Huang
Tasnia Chowdhury
Liyuan Zou
Ben Wong
Judith
Maddie Kunkel
Jocelyn
Zizi Ibrahim
Fiona Qu
Chenming Song
Xiang Ling
Amber Yang
Rashatul Jannat
Musfika Ahmed
Tasfia Taiyeba
Nawar Tabassum
Ibtesam Mahmood
Estrella Wang
Ava Connell
Dakishin Sachindra
Tanisha Srivastava
Kimaya Joshi
Aarushi Bavdekar
Kashvi Parashar
Vikesh Bhondave
Lucas Zhai
Aashvik Garimella
Varun Khatri
Senuth Ratnayake
Sarah Liu
Yvonne
Wasima
Vivian Tam
Casey Cheung
Dou Dou Zhang
Xiaoyan Ling
Juanjuan Jin
Madeleine Barot
Meharunnesa Bristy
Kazi Aadita
Sanjida Tabassum Ruthba
Elema Islam Ruhi
Homaira Islam Orthi
Nicole Chu
Gavin Chan
Natalis Leung
Chaheti
Elizabeth
Weike Chen
Yike Chen
Yuwen Liu
Jun Liu
Bing Wei
Bo Liu
Shanchun Liu
Ningling Liu
Wenxin Fang
Qingling Liu
Xiaomao Ding
Zeyou Li
Wenge Liu
Oceana Li
Sophie Da Corte
Jasia Azam
Sadia Afrin Mou
Estate Jahan
Mansura Rahman Mim
Satvika Nekkanti