Donate Higgy Bears to Kids with Scoliosis!

Hi there! My name is Maya, and I’m working with Higgy Bears to raise money and donate Higgy Bears to my doctor's office and local hospital. Higgy Bears can have scoliosis braces or spinal fusion scars. Scoliosis curves, twists, and rotates the spine, and can be an extremely painful and challenging experience. Everyone’s scoliosis experience is different. Some kids wear braces during the day, some wear them at night, and some kids have spinal fusion surgery. I want to share these bears with kids who have scoliosis, and give them a furry friend to remind them they are strong and aren’t alone in their diagnosis.

A little bit about me:

I was diagnosed with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis when I was 14. I wore a hard plastic brace twenty-three hours a day and did physical therapy to combat my curves. I started with 36 and 30 degree curves, and after a couple years, they had progressed to 78 and 76 degrees. My body was twisted, my shoulder pushed up and forwards, my ribs rotated and pushed against my hips, and it was hard to watch myself change as my curves worsened.

I’d fought hard to prevent surgery, but my spine had other plans. I had my Spinal Fusion Surgery in June of 2022, fused from T4 to L4 with two titanium rods and twenty-six screws. I woke up from my operation four inches taller, absolutely aligned, and undeniably curveless. It was incredible. My recovery took just over one year, and I learned my limits, adjusted to lessened flexibility, and worked hard to build up the strength I had lost while recovering.

As I’m writing this, it’s been a little over one year since my surgery. The diagnosis that changed my life hasn’t stopped me from doing the things I love, and now I’m looking to support others with scoliosis.

It can be a testing, challenging journey, and I believe that Higgy Bears can help make having scoliosis even just the tiniest bit better(it certainly helped me)! Each Higgy Bear costs $10, and any amount contributed would be greatly appreciated. All donations help people with scoliosis find a furry friend to call their own, and a companion through the hard times scoliosis can put them through. Thank you!

You can go to https://higgybears.com to learn more about Higgy Bears and their mission, as well as explore the many different adorable scoliosis stuffed animals they make!