More Than a Diagnosis: Marta Eliza Miller’s Story of Healing, Hope, and Helping Others

At only 19, Marta Miller has already built a life shaped by discipline, determination, and perseverance. A former competitive figure skater and musical theater performer, Miller is also the co-founder of the Marta Eliza Miller Foundation for Scoliosis Awareness. She established the organization with her mother, Corrina Miller, to support scoliosis education, awareness, and treatment efforts. Together, they have helped raise more than $1 million while supporting families navigating the condition. Miller’s story extends beyond her medical diagnosis and reflects her development as an athlete, performer and advocate who learned to speak openly about difficult experiences.

Facing a Severe Scoliosis Diagnosis

Miller was first diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 10 years old and began wearing a flexible back brace. By age 13, the curvature of her spine had progressed significantly. “My curve spiked to 48 degrees,” Miller recalled. “It was a really scary time, and a lot was going on.” Doctors became concerned that surgery might be necessary, and Miller underwent several MRIs while specialists worked to understand her condition better and determine an appropriate course of treatment.

For Corrina Miller, one of the most difficult aspects of the diagnosis was the uncertainty. “I think the challenge with scoliosis is that everything is unknown,” she explained. “Sometimes there’s pain. Sometimes there’s no pain.” Miller was required to wear a brace for up to 20 hours a day, but she continued training as an elite figure skater. She said she did not experience the pain that can accompany severe scoliosis. “I’ve actually never had pain,” Miller said. “Because I was so active, it also helped the curve decrease. Through strength training, stretching, and exercises designed to address muscular imbalances, Miller’s spinal curve eventually decreased to approximately 30-32 degrees and has remained stable for several years.

Finding Strength on the Ice

Figure skating requires discipline, precision, and considerable physical and emotional control. For Miller, it also required becoming comfortable training while wearing a visible back brace. At the time, she was already being bullied by other skaters, but a supportive coach encouraged her not to hide the brace. “She told me to take it off and show the brace and not to care about it,” Miller remembered. “She really helped me not have any self-doubt about wearing it. She made me very confident.”

That encouragement helped Miller continue developing as an athlete while becoming more comfortable with her diagnosis. Rather than allowing the brace to limit her, she continued to improve her skills and train consistently.

Behind the Beauty of Figure Skating

Although figure skating often appears graceful and glamorous, Miller and her mother described a culture that can also be highly competitive and isolating. “In any elite sport, it’s very competitive,” Corrina Miller said. “People look for anything they can to pinpoint something that might be wrong with somebody.”

Miller experienced bullying in skating and later in college. She learned early that artistic and athletic environments are not always as supportive as they may appear. At the same time, she also worked with coaches who encouraged her and helped protect her confidence. Corrina Miller noted that more female figure skaters are now publicly demonstrating friendship and support for one another. “That’s something that’s been missing for a long time,” she said. “So that’s really been beautiful to watch.”

Finding the Courage to Speak

One of the most difficult parts of Miller’s story involved abuse she said she experienced from two female skating coaches when she was 14 years old. Miller did not immediately tell her mother and kept the experience to herself for months while trying to understand what had happened. “It was a really traumatic experience,” she said.

Corrina Miller noticed that her daughter no longer wanted to stay at the same rink, but she did not initially understand why. After another coach questioned whether Miller had experienced abuse, her mother asked her directly what had happened. “Marta kept this bottled up for six months, and we have a really close relationship,” Corrina Miller said. “She also had to process what had happened because it was somebody that she trusted and somebody that she fully respected.”

Corrina Miller filed a report with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Miller was interviewed by law enforcement and participated in a lengthy deposition regarding her experience. According to Miller and her mother, the coaches were sanctioned but were not permanently removed from figure skating. Miller said that after word of the case spread, other skaters approached her privately and said they had experienced or witnessed similar behavior. “So many people told me that they did a similar thing or that something went on, but they would not report it,” Miller said. “They’re scared because everyone knows everyone in figure skating.” Her experience highlighted the difficulty young athletes may face when reporting misconduct within a close-knit and competitive community.

Turning Trauma Into Art

Miller later incorporated elements of her experience into a short film titled The Axel. She wrote, directed, produced, and starred in the project, which uses the challenge of landing an axel jump as a metaphor for working through emotional trauma. Miller’s experiences inspired the film but were not created as a direct retelling. It examines the influence an abusive coach can have over a young athlete and the difference a positive mentor can make.

For Miller, filmmaking provided another way to communicate emotions that were difficult to express directly while also bringing together her interests in skating, acting, and music. One song that became important to Miller was Kesha’s “Praying.” “I feel very empowered,” Miller said. “It’s a song that really resonates with me.” She acknowledged that the song can still be difficult to hear at times. “Sometimes I can’t listen to it because I’m not mentally in a space where I can,” she explained. “But sometimes, when it comes on, I will listen to it and belt my heart out.”

A New Chapter in Musical Theater

Figure skating eventually helped Miller discover another interest: musical theater. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theater and continues to develop her work as an actress, performer, and choreographer. “I love acting. I love performing,” she said.

Miller is now choreographing a production of Sweeney Todd, marking her first time serving as a choreographer on a creative team. She is also performing as part of the ensemble. “I’m having so much fun being on the creative team and also being in the ensemble,” she shared. Miller is preparing to move to New York, where she plans to pursue additional opportunities in theater and entertainment. “For me, every day, I take it one step at a time,” she said.

Building a Foundation of Support

The Marta Eliza Miller Foundation for Scoliosis Awareness grew from the shared desire of Miller and her mother to help families understand the medical and emotional challenges associated with scoliosis. They know from experience that the condition can affect more than the spine. It can also influence confidence, emotional well-being, relationships and a young person’s sense of self.

The foundation’s motto reflects the message behind its work: Stand tall. Be strong. Dream big. Corrina Miller described the organization as a source of support for individuals and families facing difficult circumstances. Although the foundation focuses on scoliosis, its broader message also encourages young people to advocate for themselves and seek support when facing medical or personal challenges.

Miller’s Message to Young People

When asked what advice she would offer someone facing scoliosis, bullying, or abuse, Miller responded directly. “Keep on going,” she said. “Really fight for yourself, speak up for yourself, continue what you’re doing and just be strong.”

Miller also acknowledged that healing is not always straightforward. After learning that one of the coaches involved in her experience had died, she said she felt a mixture of grief and relief. “I did respect her as a coach, and I did trust her as a coach,” Miller said. “But then she did the thing that I couldn’t regain her trust ever again.” Corrina Miller described the experience as a process of learning to let go while recognizing that certain memories may remain part of her daughter’s life.

Standing Tall and Moving Forward

Miller’s experiences have influenced her work as an athlete, performer, filmmaker and advocate. Through the foundation, she and her mother continue to raise awareness about scoliosis while offering support to families navigating similar circumstances. Miller is also advancing her career in musical theater and preparing for the next stage of her professional life in New York.

Watch The Axel, written and directed by Marta Eliza Miller

Learn More

Website: MartaElizaMillerFoundation.org

Instagram: @the.m.e.mfoundation / @MartaElizaMiller