Britain’s Got Talent star Julia Carlile has spoken out about her painful ordeal and how surgery could completely change her life.
The 15-year-old dancer, who is a member of Just Us dance troupe, stunned in an amazing performance on Saturday evening’s episode.
It affected Alesha Dixon so much that she pressed the Golden Buzzer and sent them straight through to the semi-finals.
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Julia was born was scoliosis, meaning she has a curved spine, and needs metal rods to straighten her back. However, this would mean that the teenager wouldn’t be able to dance again.
The group came onto the show hoping to win the £250,000 prize money so they can send Julia over to America to get the life-changing surgery.
Opening up on Good Morning Britain about the procedure, the Wirral-born teen said: “Basically the surgery, they’d put two titanium rods straight down your spine.
“Because mine is so big they’d want to do it from the top of my back to the bottom of my back so there’d be no movement really.
“I would be taller because I’m actually meant to be their heights. I’d grow after surgery and I wouldn’t be in as much pain, so there is upsides to it.
“It hurts quite a lot but when I dance it just takes my mind off it.”
Amazingly her fellow dancers, Poppy Gerrard, 14, Annie Winstanley, 17, Rebecca Jordan, 16, as well Julia’s older sister Alice, 17, have offered their potential prize winnings to help her get the £78,000 surgery.
What lovely friends and family!
Julia added: “If we win there’s this surgery in America. I’d put all my money to get that.”
This wasn’t the first time she has tried to raise the money though.
Last year, she appeared on a CBBC TV show called Taking the Next Step.
In it, young Julia shared her story with the show’s judges John Partridge, Kimberly Wyatt and Simeon Qsyea, who were clearly moved by her plight.
Following her amazing routine to Ella Henderson’s Ghost, the judging panel were left visibly moved.
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John said: “You did great. You are brilliant. I would say more if I could but I am bit choked right now. ”
Wiping away her tears, Kimberley added: “You brought me in tears. But you are lucky Julia and this is why.
“As dancers we get to express and because you are fighting through something so difficult for you, you bring dance to laugh, you make art, because you have something to say and that is a beautiful gift.
“Julia, you are amazing and a beautiful dancer and I love the fight.”
Sadly Julia never made it to the final of Taking The Next Step, but tune in to the the BGT live semi finals in a few weeks time to see if she can scoop the life-changing money.