Georgie Parker, star of Home and Away, has struggled with her health for the most of her life.
The 58-year-old actress joined the Australian soap opera in 2010 to play Roo Stewart, replacing Justine Clark, who left Summer Bay in 1989. After becoming embroiled in a dispute with Stunning Organics in recent months, Roo found herself in possession of a bomb that had been supplied by the dishonest skincare firm.
When the bomb detonated, Roo became paralysed and lost sensation in her legs. Due to the character’s involvement in the explosion, Georgie was able to take a seven-week hiatus from the show to star in Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica, a stage performance in Sydney.
Away from the soap opera, Georgie has shared details about her ongoing health struggles, such as a childhood automobile accident that left her feeling as though she should hide her body. “When I was young, I got hit by a car,” she said in an earlier interview.
“My rib cage is positioned in my pelvis, and my spine is a beautiful C curve. Georgie went on, “I’m still extremely mobile, but it’s pretty terrible.
“People ask why Roo wears such loose clothes – it’s because I have to hide my torso.” Georgie was told she had scoliosis when she was 13 years old, which put an end to her hopes of being a dancer.
In an interview with Body+Soul, the actress talked candidly about her experience living with the illness, which causes the spine to tilt to one side. “Every scoliosis is different, it’s like a fingerprint – but mine is all in the torso, I’ve lost about three inches in height,” the mother of one stated.
“I have to work out with my strength a lot. I swim quite a bit. I started swimming in the ocean during COVID, and it’s been thrilling. Although it has been really cold, some of the enjoyment is in the discomfort.”
“Don’t ask me why,” continued the star. “Doing something hard has been amazing for my mental health.” She talked about it in 2017, stating Now To Love that even though she lives with the disease every day, she has never been angry about it.
Georgie told the publication, “It affects me every day and I just have to stay fit to keep my back as functional as possible.” I’ve never regretted [having scoliosis], and it’s helped me understand how fortunate I am to be able to live my life mostly as I like despite this major obstacle.”
