“My diagnosis affected every single thing I did,” Taylor Podob says when describing her teen years
Credit: Courtesy of Taylor Podob (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Taylor Podob tells PEOPLE that being diagnosed with scoliosis in middle school left her feeling deeply insecure and affected nearly every aspect of her daily life
- After finding relief through physical therapy, the recent college graduate decided to pursue a career as a physical therapist
- Taylor says she believes her personal experience with “insecurity” and “doubt” will help her connect with her future patients
A woman who was diagnosed with scoliosis in middle school says the condition ultimately led her to her “true passion.”
Taylor Podob, a first-generation college graduate, tells PEOPLE that she was initially “devastated” when she learned she had the condition, which causes an S-shaped curve of the spine.
“I struggled with feeling insecure,” Taylor, 22, says.
“I wore hoodies and baggy clothes every day to hide the curve in my spine. I felt insecure if somebody touched my back or hugged me, afraid they would judge me from feeling my back,” she continues.
Credit: Courtesy of Taylor Podob
“I refused to wear bathing suits in the summertime because I felt as if everybody was constantly staring at my back and judging me,” she adds.
Taylor says her condition also made it painful to sit for long periods, which affected her ability to do some of her favorite activities.
“I was a band kid, [and] my scoliosis made it very difficult for me to sit for long periods of time to play my instrument. [I lost] my spark for playing my instrument for a long time because my back pain replaced my love and enjoyment for making music,” she explains.
“My diagnosis affected every single thing I did,” she continues, adding that her back pain “fully absorbed" her "being.”
Credit: Courtesy of Taylor Podob
Taylor says she began physical therapy to help with her chronic pain and posture — something that ultimately changed the course of her life.
“When I first started physical therapy in middle school to help my pain, I felt instantly better from exercising and working on my posture in the mirror,” she recalls, before sharing how her experience shifted her career plans.
“I wanted to be a journalist, but completely changed my career route to [wanting to be] a physical therapist because of how much it helped me,” Taylor tells PEOPLE.
She went on to say that she believes her lived experience will make her an even better provider someday.
Credit: Courtesy of Taylor Podob
“One who walks alongside patients in moments of insecurity, doubt and eventually hope because I know exactly what they are going through,” she explains.
“With the help of my physical therapists, I began to see myself not as broken, but as resilient,” she continues, adding that she aims “to make the same impact" on her future patients.
Taylor, who has worked at KFC for the past five years, also says she owes a huge thanks to the KFC Foundation for funding her undergraduate and future graduate education.
“I would not have been able to lead clubs, join honors societies, gain clinical exposure and more if I did not have the KFC Foundation supporting me in my education, allowing me to focus on school instead of letting financial burdens steal my passion,” she explains.
“As a first-generation college student, thinking about money and finances has never been an easy topic, but thanks to the KFC Foundation, I recently graduated college completely debt-free, allowing me to enter graduate school without any loans or debt, so I can fully focus on my education,” Taylor says.
The KFC Foundation will also help Taylor fund her next chapter: the University of Pittsburgh's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, which she will begin in the fall of 2026.
Credit: Courtesy of the KFC Foundation
“Scholarships and financial aid [are] very difficult to come by for graduate school, so I am incredibly thankful to the KFC Foundation for giving me a scholarship toward my graduate tuition,” she tells PEOPLE.
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The recent college graduate adds that her time working for the company has taught her vital skills like communication, problem-solving and teamwork — all of which she is confident will serve her well in an eventual job at a physical therapy clinic.
As for what Taylor hopes her story might help teach others?
“Always remain positive,” she says. “Because everything will always work out in the end the way it should.”
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