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17-year-old urges DuPage County to fund scoliosis awareness and early-screening toolkits
Summary
Isaac Horashi, a 17-year-old student, asked the Human Services Committee to fund pediatric toolkits, parent pamphlets and a youth social campaign to improve scoliosis detection in schools and clinics; he estimated a pilot would cost about $8,500 and said early detection reduces surgery risk.
Isaac Horashi, a 17-year-old student from Las Vegas High School, told the DuPage County Human Services Committee he wants the county to help expand scoliosis awareness and screening. "My name is Isaac Horashi and I'm a 17 year old from Las Vegas High School," he said, outlining a plan to create pediatric toolkits, affordable scolometers for county clinics and school nurses, and parent and school pamphlets.
Horashi said about 300,000 Illinois residents have scoliosis and described personal consequences from delayed detection, including respiratory and heart complications. He estimated a basic pilot might cost "around $8,500" and argued early detection can reduce the need for invasive spinal-fusion surgery: "patients who are detected early are 3.5 times less likely to need this surgery," he said. Horashi said he drafted legislation with a state senator and later pivoted to a county-level awareness resolution after learning enforcement gaps in insurance coverage.
He asked the committee to consider support that would reach parents, students and pediatricians through toolkits and a youth-focused social-media campaign. "And together, we can save over 15000 DuPage families from suffering like I did," Horashi said. Committee procedure during public comment did not allow back-and-forth questions from members; the chair thanked him for the presentation and moved to the consent items.
Next steps: Horashi framed this as an awareness and education initiative rather than a specific county mandate; he asked the county to consider funding or partnership options so school nurses and clinics can receive screening tools and materials.
