Illinois teens donate 280 custom teddy bears to patients with scoliosis
Teens hope donation helps others feel less alone during treatment
Two young patients with scoliosis are hoping to make the treatment journey a little easier for others by donating hundreds of stuffed animals to patients at University of Iowa Health Care Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Best friends and classmates Meredith Secymore and Addy Blade, both 14, are being treated for scoliosis at University of Iowa Health Care. Meredith is a patient of Stuart Weinstein, MD, and Addy sees Joshua Holt, MD. Both have also worked with nurse practitioner Elizabeth Faine, MSN, ARNP, CPNP-PC.
While adjusting to wearing back braces as part of their treatment, the Cambridge, Illinois, girls decided to help other kids going through the same experience.
Through the Higgy Bear Million Bear Challenge — a worldwide effort that provides small stuffed animals equipped with miniature back braces to young scoliosis patients — Meredith and Addy raised $3,550, enough to donate 280 bears for new patients beginning brace treatment.
“We wanted to spread awareness of scoliosis and show that you’re never alone during the journey,” Meredith says.
Addy says their shared experience with bracing helped inspire the idea.
“I had a rough time at first because I didn’t know anyone else who had a brace until Meredith got one,” she says. “We wanted to help younger kids who are starting their journey.”
The girls originally set a goal of raising $1,000, but support from family, friends, teachers, coaches, and members of their small community quickly pushed them past that mark.
“The most incredible thing was their initial goal was $1,000, and they had met that by supper time on the first day,” Meredith’s mom, Molly Secymore, says.
By the time the fundraiser ended on Dec. 31, 2025, the girls had raised enough to provide 280 Higgy Bears.
Addy even counted each bear herself.
“I was counting and counting, and once I got to 280, I was surprised,” she says.
For providers who treat scoliosis, gestures like these can make a meaningful difference for patients adjusting to life in a brace.
“When kids learn they have scoliosis and need a brace, it can be a big shock,” Weinstein says. “Having something like a Higgy Bear gives them comfort and helps them feel less alone.”
Holt agrees.
“Anything that makes kids feel isolated can be scary,” he says. “Something like a Higgy Bear reminds them there’s a whole community around this.”
For the girls’ families, the donation reflects how they turned a challenging experience into something positive.
“I think it’s amazing that they took such a difficult situation and turned it into an act of kindness,” says Addy’s mom, Allison Blade.
“It was incredible bravery from both of them,” Secymore adds.
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