Layla Grace Milsom was diagnosed with pectus carinatum, known as pigeon chest in 2016 at the age of 5. The condition causes her sternum and rib cage to protrude outwards as she grows. It affects one in every 1,500 children. Treatment is available for those who suffer with this condition, unfortunately the only treatment that was offered was surgery at the age of 16. This particular surgery consists of breaking all the chest bones and reshaping them.
However, Layla was in desperate need of a specially custom made brace, which would gently press against her sternum, to help reshape her chest as she grew. This brace would need to be worn up to 20 hours a day.
Layla grew to have a passion to dance and was in very much need of a special brace that was not available on the NHS to help her continue her dancing. The NHS has lost multiple court cases for the brace to be included in the NHS in Wales.
However, with much love and support from her mother Charlotte Milsom and with a lot of help from their family and friends, the family was able to start a fundraiser to make this possible for Layla.
“At first when I used to talk to people about her chest, they’d tell me not to worry. But when she started growing up I noticed it started to get worse and you could see her chest protruding. After being examined, she was eventually diagnosed.” – Charlotte Milsom
Layla went on to compete in the Welsh Championships and the Northern Masters Championships in 2019.
During the Covid-19 lockdown, Layla continued to dance but on another platform such as Tik Tok and inspired many people with her story, especially those that were close to the family at this period of time.
Once Layla’s brace had become too small, she was unable to wear it and was in much need of a new one. Two of her dance teachers Louise Evans and Cameron Leitis from Creazione Dance Company kindly donated £500 towards Layla’s treatment. Giving Layla enough funds for a new special brace.
Layla, then aged 9, had gone on to dance at the British Championships and European Championships in 2021, despite being in a cast with a broken wrist in two places.
Significantly Layla’s has shown improvement in health since starting to wear the brace. It has also empowered Layla so that she may feel confident and is overall, happy.
