His spinal problem was diagnosed late: Now, he fights for others

Scheuermann's kyphosis and idiopathic scoliosis, the most common spinal deformities, affect about 10% of the population. One individual is Tadeáš Řáha, a student at the Faculty of Social Sciences of Charles University. Driven by his own experience with the late diagnosis of the disease—which left him with chronic pain—he launched a bi-national campaign focused on early diagnosis and proper treatment. For his initiative, which has received official support from various organisations including the Health ministries of both the Czech and Slovak Republics and is unprecedented in its scope worldwide, Charles University Rector Milena Králíčková presented him with the Rector’s Extraordinary Award.

Tadeáš Řáha with CU Rector Milenou Králíčková.

Tadeáš Řáha first visited a doctor for back pain when he was 12. Despite undergoing multiple examinations by several physicians, no diagnosis or necessary treatment was ever provided. Since the occasional back pain didn’t significantly limit his everyday life, he didn’t pursue the cause further. That changed eight years later, when his pain gradually worsened. Even after undergoing numerous tests, including an MRI, the cause remained unclear. It took several more years before he was finally diagnosed. It turned out that Tadeáš suffers from Scheuermann’s kyphosis—a spinal disease that causes premature degeneration (aging) of the spine. If detected early, during childhood or adolescence, the disease’s progression can be significantly slowed down through intensive rehabilitation and the wearing of a brace. In later stages, the only option is surgery, which has uncertain outcomes. Early diagnosis is just as crucial for idiopathic scoliosis, the other of the two most common spinal deformities.

Tadeáš’s life was turned upside down by the diagnosis and constant pain. “When I found out about the diagnosis, I believed for a while that something could still be done. I tried all sorts of exercises, physical therapies—everything possible. But after six months, I realised that the time when it could have been treated this way—my childhood—had passed. That was a terrible period when I became aware of how the disease was progressive, how much it had already taken from me, and how much more it would take in the future. All that, combined with chronic pain, pushed me into depression. I even thought about not wanting to live anymore. I didn’t know what to do next,” Tadeáš says.

By then, he was already studying at the Department of Marketing Communication and Public Relations at the Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, when he came across the story of a former American financial manager Doug Strott—who also suffers from the same late-diagnosed condition and founded the international Scheuermann’s Disease Fund to promote early diagnosis of spinal deformities. "His story really inspired me. Despite his pain, he’s doing everything he can for other patients and trying to change the system. It gave me new energy and brought back my will to fight the disease. I managed to transform my resentment—about physicians not diagnosing my condition earlier and downplaying it—into something productive," he said.

In 2023, armed with knowledge and skills from his studies and supported by Strott’s foundation, he launched a public health awareness campaign in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The campaign aims to raise awareness about Scheuermann’s kyphosis, idiopathic scoliosis, and poor posture, and to support early diagnosis and treatment.

Thanks to his extraordinary drive, commitment, and the importance of the issue, he managed to secure support from the Ministries of Health of both the Czech and Slovak Republics, Czech Paediatric Society, Young Doctors association, Slovak Orthopaedic and Traumatology Society, and the professional journal Rehabilitácia. He also received support from the Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism at his home faculty, which helped cover a part of campaign costs. Communication professionals from the Department of Marketing Communication and Public Relations, with whom he regularly consults his project, also played a key role.

Tadeáš succeeded in bringing the topic into the public spotlight, reaching both national public and commercial media. Most importantly, as he sees it, he reached healthcare professionals, encouraging them to pay more attention to signs of spinal deformities during paediatric check-ups.

He also dedicated his Bachelor’s thesis to this issue. He launched a website providing essential information on Scheuermann’s kyphosis, idiopathic scoliosis, and their treatment options. The site also allows people to join a community of patients, share their experiences, and receive emotional support. To date, he has spoken at nearly 20 medical congresses and conferences in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also distributes diagnostic leaflets and has authored several medical articles in various journals. Individually, he tries to help every patient who reaches out to him. All this in his free time - as a volunteer. He has already dedicated more than 2,000 hours of unpaid work to the project.

Tadeáš originally enrolled at the Faculty of Social Sciences with the intention of pursuing a career in commercial marketing, but destiny had other plans. After successfully completing his Bachelor’s degree, he decided to continue his studies in the Strategic Communication master’s program at the same faculty. Today, he no longer sees his future in corporate marketing. His condition showed him that he would rather dedicate his life to social and non-profit marketing—and to work that, in his words, “truly matters”: helping others.