When Mikaela’s parents began exploring options for the best possible treatment for her scoliosis diagnosis, their options quickly became limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Faced with global travel restrictions, ambulatory services being put on hold, and a lack of medical equipment in their home country, her parents Conrado and Eva had to seek additional alternatives.

A short time later, Conrado learned through a friend of a friend, that his daughter was successfully treated at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital for the same diagnosis. After learning about the expertise of the spinal surgeons within the Nicklaus Children's Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Spine Institute, Conrado and Eva decided that they were traveling to Miami for Mikaela’s surgery.

Mikaela underwent a successful operation led by pediatric spine surgeon, Dr. Stephen George, and is back in Paraguay where she recently started school again. Today, Mikaela credits the medical team at Nicklaus Children’s for giving her a reason to smile, and says she feels more comfortable and confident than ever in the young lady she is becoming.