A Sunderland teenager can continue to pursue her ambitions for musical theatre stardom after complex spinal surgery helped fix her scoliosis - in a procedure featured on the latest episode of Geordie Hospital.
Amelia Mills, 14, is a keen dancer but the condition had led to a double-curvature of her spine which threatened to stop her theatrical dream in its tracks.
However, the surgery - performed by the RVI 's Andrew Bowey - was a great success, and now she's back at dance classes and more confident than ever.
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With parents Leighton Mills and Angela Bainbridge, Amelia reflected on the unusual experience of going under-the-knife in front of TV cameras.
The family was anxious ahead of the big day - August 1 - and Angela explained the idea of TV didn't necessarily help.
When the day was approaching my anxiety was rising - and there was a bit more because we knew about being on TV," she said. "But on the day itself when we were at the hospital the Channel 4 team were so incredibly lovely with us and put us completely at ease.
"Even when Amelia was having the actual surgery, they took us off to the park and chatted on to us, taking our minds off it."
Amelia herself said she had attempted to put on a brave face.
"I did have quite a bit of anxiety before it", she said. "But I didn't want to show it - I didn't want to make anyone else worry. Both of the surgeons were really nice, they were lovely talking us through it."
Along with Mr Bowey, John Andrews carried out Amelia's op, and her parents couldn't speak highly enough of the medics who looked after her.
Mum Angela continued: "They were so good. In the first conversation we had, [Mr Bowey] went across and was chatting away with Amelia for ages about her dancing and musical theatre. That was incredibly from a parent's point of view. You might expect a surgeon to be a bit removed, but not him, he was so involved and took such an interest.
Dad Leighton added: "To be honest, all of the staff showed such incredible social skills, and the way they went about their work was just second-to-none."
After the summer operation went incredibly well, Amelia has been getting back to her best and told ChronicleLive : "I had a follow-up scan in November. Things have been so much better - I'm basically back to normal."
Amelia said she had been able to return to dancing at the Sophie Doneathy dance school in Sunniside, where her favourite styles are musical theatre and ballet.
"It's so strange looking back," she said. "To think that's me and I went through it."
Leighton said he was delighted to see Amelia's recovery had been so comprehensive. "It's brought back so much of her confidence.
"As parents, you're concerned about her health and welfare most of all, and there are many other things that come along with the type of condition Amelia has had.
"There's her mental wellbeing, for example. And feeling like she had to cover her shoulders. Lots of kids are concerned about image, and of course if they sense anything different they can make fun of that.
"I think I've really seen a change in her confidence, the operation was so successful and it's made a difference to how she carries herself - and of course her dancing.
"It's great, she's getting the life we would want her to have - it's been absolutely life-changing."
But Amelia had the final word - she wants other young people who might have scoliosis to remember they're not alone.
She said: "The main thing I want to take out of the programme is to raise awareness of scoliosis, because I know there are other kids out there sat with the feelings I've sat with before."
Geordie Hospital now airs on Channel 4 on Tuesdays from 8pm. The whole series is available on All4.
