This Thanksgiving, singer-songwriter Tina Parol has more to be thankful for than ever before for her voice, her health and the compassionate caregivers at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown who helped her stand tall again.
Parol, a Nashville based award-winning artist who has written for international artists like Celine Dion and Britney Spears, spent years battling the painful effects of scoliosis. Diagnosed at age 8, she endured constant back pain, limited mobility and declining lung function that threatened both her career and her quality of life.
“I reached a point where I couldn’t ignore the pain anymore,” Parol said. “Even standing in the kitchen felt unbearable. When my leg went numb, I knew it was time to trust the experts and take back my life.”
That trust led her to Ascension Saint Thomas, where neurosurgeon Dr. Brian O’Shaughnessy and a skilled surgical team performed a complex 14-level spinal fusion to correct her spine curvature and relieve pressure on her lungs. The recovery was long and difficult, but the results changed everything.
“Now, I wake up every day thankful to breathe deeply, walk freely and sing again,” Parol said. “I’m so grateful to my doctors, nurses and everyone at Ascension Saint Thomas who cared for me like family. They gave me back my strength and my voice.”
Parol performed at the grand opening of the Surgery and Critical Care Tower and Spine Institute at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital Midtown in Feb. 2022, celebrating her recovery and honoring the team who helped make it possible.
As part of her healing journey, she released an EP titled Fighter, donating proceeds to support scoliosis awareness through Music Health Alliance and World Spine Outreach. She is also a board member of Back To Healing, a scoliosis non-profit that provides scoliosis surgeries to children in countries in need.
“Tina’s story reminds us that gratitude and healing often go hand in hand,” said Dr. O’Shaughnessy. “Her resilience reflects what we hope for every patient, to return to the life they love.”
This Thanksgiving season, Ascension Saint Thomas celebrates patients like Parol whose strength and thankfulness inspire others to seek care, embrace recovery and live fully again.
