gabby allen
Gabby Allen has been a breath of fresh air on Love Island ITV

She's captured the nation's heart thanks to her super-cute romance with Blazin' Squad's Marcel Somerville, with the couple being the most loved-up and genuine of the whole Love Island bunch.

And with her great figure and pretty face, not many people have noticed the 18-inch scar running down Gabby Allen's back.

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Like Marcel, the lovable Scouse blonde is sweet, modest and humble, and hasn't boasted about the amount of bravery and adversity she has shown in her past.

The 25-year-old from Liverpool, who works as a dancer and personal trainer, opened up about how she acquired the scar on Instagram before she went into the Mallorcan villa.

Gabby had major surgery when she was 12 to correct scoliosis in her back. Scoliosis is where the spine twists and curves to the side, and can affect people of any age, from babies to adults. It most often starts in children aged 10-15.

Captioning a shot of her back, Gabby wrote: "When I was 12, I had major surgery to correct the ever growing scoliosis going on with my spine. The top of my spine was curving so much it had caused the bottom to do so too, resulting in a big 'S' shape.

"Therefore, my shoulders, hips and ribs were all being pushed out of line.. I would've ended up like Quasimodo!

I don't ever get back problems and this recent injury, I believe would've happened even without my back situation but after having to cancel/cover a whole weekend of work due to a back injury I thought I'd show ya my scar. (18 inches down back and left side) When I was 12, I had major surgery to correct the ever growing scoliosis going on with my spine. The top of my spine was curving so much it had caused the bottom to do so too, resulting in a big 'S' shape. Therefore, my shoulders, hips and ribs were all being pushed out of line.. I would've ended up like Quasimodo! 🙄 They had to take out my ribs, deflate my lungs, insert two long stainless steel rods either side of my vertebrae and various nuts and bolts to keep them in place. I'm basically a robot! 🤖 You have 5 vertebrae at the bottom of your spine and my surgeon decided to leave me with two unfused so I still had some range of flexibility to dance. I remember the first time they sat me up in bed. I felt like a plank of wood; like I was about to snap in half. They made me sit up and eat my dinner which was smily faces 😋 but all I remember was crying and dying to get back horizontally in the bed. I had to learn how to walk. But being a dancer, I was determined. I went back to dancing within 6 weeks. And I won a ballet championship 6 months after! I grew up being embarrassed of it. I'd walk side ways on down the beach 🦀 so people wouldn't see, I'd wear clothes or my hair down my back to cover it. I'd tell people I was bit by a shark and it was cosmetic surgery 🤣 But now!!! I have no shame! People are intrigued and find it fascinating that I do what I do with such an impairment. And I'm proud of myself that I've managed to come so far and do so much. I never let this get the better of me! I've been bored out my mind the last few days, not working but also not being able to do anything, hence probs why I posted this! Too much time on my hands! 😜 So! Moral! Be proud of your bodies. Accept them for what they are. Forgive them for what they're not. Understand them when they need a rest. Support them. Believe in them! Love them!! ❤️

A post shared by ✨✨ ɢᴀʙʙʏ ᴅᴀᴡɴ ✨✨ (@gabbydawnallen) on

Revealing the invasiveness of the surgery, she added: "They had to take out my ribs, deflate my lungs, insert two long stainless steel rods either side of my vertebrae and various nuts and bolts to keep them in place. I'm basically a robot!"

But luckily, doctors made sure Gabby could still dance, which is her life's passion. She continued: "You have 5 vertebrae at the bottom of your spine and my surgeon decided to leave me with two unfused so I still had some range of flexibility to dance. I remember the first time they sat me up in bed. I felt like a plank of wood; like I was about to snap in half."

Proving how much of an inspiration she is, Gabby went on to dance within six weeks of going under the knife, adding: "I had to learn how to walk. But being a dancer, I was determined. I went back to dancing within 6 weeks. And I won a ballet championship 6 months after!"

Gabby was met with a mass of praise from her followers after opening up, with one person writing: "Literally made me cry!! Told you I thought she had it!" as another said: "Such an amazing thing to write about , such an inspirational person ... scoliosis fighters are the strongest !"

A third simply put: "Amazing young lady x"

Notable fellow scoliosis sufferers include Kurt Cobain, Elizabeth Taylor and American Dad character Steve Smith.

Love Island continues tonight (23 June) at 9pm on ITV2.