Under The Knife

Bio:

Holly was living a full life with a successful career and an active, athletic lifestyle when, in November 2024, everything changed in an instant. She was suddenly paralyzed from the waist down and rushed to the ICU, where she underwent emergency decompression surgery to remove a cyst compressing her spinal cord.

After that first surgery, she had to relearn how to walk — rebuilding her strength, balance, and confidence step by step.

In May 2025, her syrinx returned, and she was officially diagnosed with Syringomyelia, a rare and often misunderstood neurological condition. Holly underwent a second surgery that included shunt placement. When the syrinx returned again due to shunt failure, she faced a third surgery.

Refusing to accept uncertainty as an answer, she sought out a specialist in Miami, FL. In November 2025 — exactly one year after her first surgery — she underwent a complex procedure that included a shunt revision, untethering of her spinal cord, removal of a membrane believed to be an arachnoid cyst, and a duraplasty.

Two weeks later, she developed bacterial meningitis and was rushed back into surgery for the fourth time to remove the shunt, which was identified as the source of the infection.

Today, she is recovering — and rebuilding.

Moving forward:

Holly’s journey is not just about survival. It’s about awareness, advocacy, and hope.

Syringomyelia is a condition that too often goes undiagnosed, misunderstood, or under-researched. Patients frequently endure years of symptoms, misdiagnoses, and uncertainty before finding answers. Holly knows firsthand how critical early diagnosis, access to specialists, and continued research truly are.

Holly is deeply grateful for the extraordinary medical teams who saved her life and helped her walk again. She is also committed to using her voice and her experience to help others facing similar battles — to advocate for better awareness, better treatment pathways, and better outcomes.

Holly’s Statement:

“I am grateful to the Syrinx Awareness & Athlete Coalition for the platform it provides. With SAAC sharing my story, I hope to bring visibility to this rare spinal cord condition, support those who feel alone in their fight, and help drive progress so fewer people have to endure this journey in the future.

This is why I fight. This is why awareness matters. And this is why hope must always move faster than fear. Still healing - Still standing - Still fighting.”