Scoliosis Philippines has launched its first-ever School Stripes Day at La Petite Learning Center Village East, Cainta, aiming to promote early scoliosis detection among children through the #StripesFitCheck Campaign. The campaign, which uses striped clothing as a self-check method, aims to prevent mild cases from becoming severe, which can be costly and require surgery. The campaign, which is spearheaded by Scoliosis Philippines, provides an accessible and effective way for individuals to spot early signs of scoliosis, making it 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 for deviations 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 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 nade-detect 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.
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.
For media inquiries or to bring School Stripes Day to your school, please visit the Scoliosis Philippines website, the ScoliosisPHOffical Facebook or ScoliosisPhilippines on Instagram.
Scoliosis Philippines is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with scoliosis and their families. The organization aims to raise awareness, provide education, and advocate for early detection and appropriate treatment of scoliosis in the Philippines.
