Donate to send scoliosis teddy bears to hospitals

Finding out that I had to wear a brace for my scoliosis was probably the hardest day of my life – and the one thing that made that day better was the offer of a teddy bear in a brace or a brace for my doll. I didn't know anyone that had scoliosis and this promise made it all instantly seem less lonely - like I had a friend. (See below for my full scoliosis story.)

This is why I decided to become a Higgy Bears ambassador. Higgy Bears are special teddy bears designed for kids with scoliosis. The bears wear matching mini scoliosis braces or have rods sewn into their backs (for kids that have had surgery). Higgy Bears are donated to children's hospitals across the country, and truly make scoliosis more "bear-able". This cause means so much to me and donations in any amount will help me get bears to kids!

My Scoliosis Story

Hi! My name is Josie. I am eleven years old and I love cheerleading, painting, and my two pugs. I also have scoliosis. I was diagnosed in July of 2022 – two months before I started middle school. My pediatrician was doing a scoliosis screening at my annual exam. She thought that one shoulder was higher than the other, and recommended I get an x-ray at Boston Children's Hospital.

My mom thought that I was probably just standing funny and didn’t call right away to make the appointment, but later that week, Children’s Hospital called us with an appointment time. My mom decided to bring me just to make sure I didn't have scoliosis. We figured we would get the x-ray, they would tell us my spine was good, and then we could go home. But that didn’t happen!

After I got the x-ray, the technician let us peek at the picture. As soon as we saw it – we could see right away that my spine was curved – we were shocked. We headed to the orthopedist to review the x-ray. My mom and I sat and held hands while we waited to be called in – I was so nervous about what the doctor was going to say.

Finally, it was our turn with the doctor. He told me I had scoliosis and I burst into tears! He recommended I wear a large, hard, plastic brace 18 hours a day for the next 5 or so years, including while I slept and during school. I would need to wear the brace to avoid back surgery. I couldn’t stop crying. The nurse showed me a brace – and it looked worse than I imagined. It was the hardest day of my life; I still cry if I think back to that day and how sad I was.

The nurse was so kind and walked me and my mom over to the brace shop to make an appointment to get fitted for my brace. I felt like my world was upside down and I couldn’t focus on anything. Then the nurse asked me if I liked teddy bears or if I had an American Girl doll. That question helped me focus on something other than my bad news. I told her about my doll, Rosie, who looked just like me. The nurse told me that the brace shop would have a matching brace for Rosie. That news gave me something to focus on and look forward to – and I was suddenly eager to go back to pick braces for me and Rosie. Rosie came to my next appointment as well as all my future appointments.

I later found out that a small non-profit company called Higgy Bears, Inc. (https://higgybears.com/) makes scoliosis braces for dolls and teddy bears with braces. Another girl my age, who also has scoliosis, raised money to donate Higgy Bear braces to Boston Children’s Hospital. I am grateful for her donation because it gave me happiness on a sad day, and I want to do the same for other kids.

I have now been wearing my brace for ten months. It has been hard to figure out how to be comfortable, talk to people about my scoliosis, go to the bathroom in a brace, find the right tank top to wear under the brace, find cute clothes to wear over the brace that are easy to get off, maneuver up and down stairs with a heavy backpack in the crowded hallways of middle school, sleep comfortably, find time to do physical therapy exercises, stay cool in a hot plastic brace, and squeeze time in to get to the nurse to take it on and off for gym class. I have found a lot of resources in the scoliosis community to help me, and I am so thankful. This is my chance to give back and help other kids too.

This is me! I am a - scoliosis strong - bent but not broken - brave - curvy girl!

Have you got my back?