FAQs
Is my information confidential?
All of your personal and financial information will be kept confidential.
How do you determine who receives money that is donated?
There is an application that must be filled out and verified. Once verified it is presented to the board for determination of financial assistance.
Is My donation secure?
The Straight Paths Foundation uses Stripe, audited by a PCI-certified auditor, and is certified to PCI Service Provider Level 1. This is the most stringent level of certification available in the payments industry. To accomplish this, we use the best-in-class security tools and practices to maintain a high level of security at Stripe. Stripe also forces HTTPS for all services using TLS (SSL) to ensure the securest connections.
Do you accept donations via PayPal?
Absolutely. Just choose it as your method of payment on the donation page.
Where do my donations go?
After our application process is completed and approval has been granted from the board, assistance will be issued to the individual or to the medical facility as deemed by the board.
Are Applicants receiving funding outside the United States?
We are currently not able to fund Non-US citizens at this time. We advise you to please reach out to a local nonprofit or church. International grant funds are typically disbursed through registered charitable organizations.
How do I donate?
If donating from inside the United States, click “Donate” to give.
Will my donation be tax deductible?
This is a 501(c) (3) charity, which means all contributions to The Straight Paths Foundation can be deducted from your taxes following IRS guidelines. You will receive an emailed receipt after your donation.
What causes scoliosis?
Between 80 and 85 percent of scoliosis cases have undetermined causes, and are therefore deemed idiopathic. The remaining percentage of cases may be caused by congenital abnormalities and genetic conditions, neurological conditions or disorders, and muscular diseases.
Contrary to common misconception, scoliosis is not caused from carrying heavy items (such as backpacks), poor posture, calcium deficiency, sports activities, or difference in leg length.
How is scoliosis treated?
Initially, a clinical and radiological study of the patients must be carried out and type of treatment is decided, depending on the age, size, degree of bone development, type of scoliosis, magnitude of the curve and socio-familial conditions. When the curve of the column is small, in some cases rehabilitation suffices. If the patient is an adolescent or adult and the degree of the curve exceeds 45-50°, sometimes it is necessary for an orthopaedicsurgeon to perform surgery for correction and to avoid worse complications.
Are only children affected?
While scoliosis is prominent in children and adolescents, it can be identified in adults, even those over the age of 60. It is also important to note that with age, symptoms can worsen.
Should people who suffer from scoliosis play sports?
We always advise to seek medical advice first. However, sports in general, especially swimming or pilates, is an excellent treatment for this type of deformity, since it maintains flexibility of the vertebral column and enables symmetrical development of the muscles form.
Does the condition change with age?
In some instances in which the curvature is not severe, individuals have seen improvement without treatment. When very slight curves are present in children, treatment may not be recommended. When large curves are left untreated at a young age, they may become worse with time.
Are other health issues associated with scoliosis?
Congenital scoliosis may lead to heart and kidney issues. Neuromuscular scoliosis may lead to thoracic insufficiency syndrome, and some patients develop pressure sores because of their pelvic tilt and imbalance.