Gratitude Stories - Nattaly
Nattaly’s Second Chance: How Support at the Gala Led to Success in the OR
The Miriam is a special place of hope and healing that was founded and funded by philanthropy a century ago. The hospital continues to be fueled by donor support today, and a recent patient success story exemplifies—in a very tangible way—just how direct an impact donor generosity has on the leading-edge care the hospital provides.
During adolescence, Nattaly Alves, now 21, was diagnosed with scoliosis, a medical condition causing an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine. Initially, the pain caused by her condition was bearable, she says. But over the last few years, it became debilitating. “I had difficulty standing or sitting for long periods of time and only felt relief when I was lying down,” she remembers. “So, I was lying down all the time.”
A job bussing tables at a restaurant, which required lifting and twisting, exacerbated matters, Nattaly adds, and left her with constant pain in the middle of her shoulder blades, forcing her to give the job up. Over time, Nattaly tried physical therapy, wearing back braces, taking pain medication, and seeing a chiropractor. Nothing worked and she was starting to lose hope. Until, that is, she visited with Bassel Diebo, MD, Co-director of the Spine Center at The Miriam Hospital and an internationally renowned surgeon with technical expertise in treating complex spinal conditions.
After carefully reviewing her case, Dr. Diebo determined that reconstruction and fusion surgery was necessary to correct Nattaly’s severe deformities and restore her quality of life. This meant reshaping and strengthening her spine and back with strategically placed screws and rods to improve her alignment, stability, and posture. But the delicate, complicated procedure would not be easy or without risk. Fortunately, Dr. Diebo and team would be aided in the operating room by the most advanced spinal navigation technology available in Rhode Island.
Specifically, the Medtronic Stealth AXiS™ surgical system, the first-ever integrated planning, navigation, and robotics platform for spine surgery, and the Medtronic GAiTEWAY™ digital software platform, which connects AI-driven pre-operative planning with post-operative analytics. The state-of-the-art technology is now available at The Miriam thanks to donor support at the 2025 Miriam Hospital Gala & Auction.
“These sophisticated tools provide unmatched surgical precision and visualization,” Dr. Diebo explains, “and enable delivery of a more predictable and personalized patient experience.” The platform’s superpower, he says, is that it “closes the loop” between surgical planning, intraoperative navigation, and post-operative monitoring in a seamless and accessible way. Thus, ensuring the best outcomes possible.
In addition to accuracy, the guidance system improves safety by reducing the radiation exposure for both patients and staff compared to traditional intraoperative X-ray systems. Less bleeding and pain, shorter hospital stays, and quicker recoveries are also benefits realized by patients who undergo spine surgery using the superior platform. Nattaly’s surgery was the first at The Miriam using the next-generation tools. The positive results were swift and undeniable. “I felt a whole lot better within days of the surgery,” Nattaly remembers, “and the biggest improvement is that I am not in any pain ... my care was great and my team was amazing!” Today, Nattaly is well down the road to recovery and overjoyed that soon her health will be in a place where she can resume a more active life and pursue her dream of becoming a pediatric nurse. “Success stories like Nattaly’s are why we do this work,” Dr. Diebo concludes, “and we are so grateful to the donors who support us.”