Just months after major scoliosis surgery, 12-year-old Gwen Stine of Norton is back to doing cartwheels, cheering on the sidelines, performing in school musicals and living life with a confidence that has inspired everyone around her.
But there was a moment shortly after surgery when simply standing up felt monumental.
Friends and family gathered around Gwen’s hospital room at Akron Children’s after her lengthy spinal surgery in October 2025, watching closely as she prepared to take her very first steps…