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Nemours Children’s Health Orthopedic Surgeon Named President of Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation & The Harms Study Group
Suken A. Shah, MD, Vice Chair of Orthopedic Surgery and renowned scoliosis surgeon will advance mission of Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation and Harms Study Group

(Wilmington, Del., March 14, 2023) — Nemours Children’s Health orthopedic surgeon, Suken A. Shah, MD, has been chosen as President of the Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation (SSSF), which also encompasses The Harms Study Group, a collaborative group of pediatric spine surgeons who participate in multi-center, prospective research studies. SSSF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization devoted to empowering families impacted by scoliosis through education, connection, and research. In addition, the Harms Study Group’s numerous research contributions have had practice-changing implications for scoliosis surgery in children and adolescents and improved outcomes for patients all over the world.

Dr. Shah is Vice Chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, clinical fellowship director, and Division Chief of the Nemours Spine and Scoliosis Center at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. For more than 20 years, he has been an innovator, researcher, and key opinion leader in the field of spinal deformity surgery. In addition to his role as division chief, as Clinical Fellowship Director for the Orthopedics Department, Dr. Shah trains residents, fellows, and visiting observers in advanced spinal deformity correction techniques.

Dr. Shah’s research has been published in more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, he’s written numerous book chapters and has reviewed content for various medical journals.

“I am honored to be the next President of the Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation and I’m thankful to Dr. Newton for guiding the organization to this point as the previous President of SSSF,” said Dr. Suken A. Shah, “I have been a part of this organization through The Harms Study Group for many years. I look forward to continuing to advance their mission through patient education, research and meaningful connections with colleagues, caregivers and patients.”

“My passion for this organization and its mission remains steadfast, but I feel the timing couldn’t have been better to bring in a new generation of leadership that will carry the organization forward,” said Peter Newton, MD, Surgeon in Chief, Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego.

Since 1998, Peter Newton, MD, Chief of Orthopedics and Surgeon in Chief at Rady Children's Hospital in San Diego, has served as the President and David Clements, MD, Cooper Bone and Joint institute in Camden, New Jersey, served as Vice President. Drs. Newton and Clements have both stepped down from their leadership roles but will remain active on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.

About Nemours Children’s Health

Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and

specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also caring for the health of the whole child beyond medicine. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.

The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.

About Setting Scoliosis Straight & The Harms Study Group

The Setting Scoliosis Straight Foundation (SSSF) is a not-for-profit charitable foundation established in 2008 to support the research efforts of the Harms Study Group. The Foundation focuses on fundraising, awareness, and empowering patients through educations and scoliosis community development.

Founded in 1995, the Harms Study Group (HSG) is a collaborative group of surgeons who perform comprehensive, multi-center, prospective research studies focused on pediatric and adolescent scoliosis and spinal issues.

The Research Study Group is dedicated to answering important clinical questions regarding treatment approaches, techniques, and best practices. All research is performed with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes. It is the premier scoliosis study group, leading in research productivity, data quality and innovations. For more information, visit www.settingscoliosisstraight.org