South Orange County Teen Turns Scoliosis Struggle Into Philanthropy, Good Work

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA — When 15-year-old Brooke Walker's parents noticed a bulge in her back last November, it changed the course of the south Orange County student's life forever.

Within six weeks, Brooke was scheduled for a full spinal fusion surgery that required doctors to put two metal rods and over 30 screws into her spine. In addition, she had a complication with her spinal cord being tethered.

A grueling healing process.

The procedure forced Brooke to miss two months of school and roughly half a year of extracurricular activities. The surgery also left her with a scar running the entire length of her back. Throughout her healing process, Brooke told Patch she felt very alone and isolated.

This prompted Brooke to think about all of the other teens and kids dealing with scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine that can be painful and disabling in severe cases.

While recovering from the procedure, Brooke learned about a nonprofit organization called Higgy Bears. Higgy Bears are special bears designed for scoliosis patients — they are made with the same metal rods and scars as spinal fusion patients, and they come with the same braces that some scoliosis patients wear.

"Brooke has loved teddy bears from a young age and knew how much they could help others since they had comforted her for so many years," a family statement read. "She wanted to make sure that other children going through her same experience had a snuggly friend that looked just like them — to keep them from being lonely and feeling different during a very traumatic experience."

An OC high school student chooses to act.

Once Brooke was healed enough, she spent her first months out of her bed setting up different fundraisers with the goal of earning enough money to purchase a few Higgy Bears to donate to Children's Health of Orange County Hospital.

"It started a spontaneous decision, and I was hoping to raise $150 or so, but as I started fundraising, I realized how many people I could impact and make them feel less alone. So, I kept fundraising and did everything I could do to raise more money and positively affect more lives," Brooke said. "I knew instantly that I wanted to support CHOC after everything they had done for me to make me feel less along during the surgery and healing process. If I could make other people feel that way, It would mean the world to me."

In addition to her fundraising, Brooke trained to be a volunteer scoliosis mentor through CHOC hospital, and has mentored several children all over the United States who are going through the same surgery experience that she did.

From fundraising at local restaurants to going door-to-door for donations in her town, her original $150 fundraising goal ballooned to over $1,500. Brooke used all of the money to purchase 40 Higgy Bears, which were donated to the CHOC Hospital in Santa Ana on Friday — the hospital's first donation of Higgy Bears.

"Coincidentally, one child she mentored happened to be at the hospital while Brooke was making her donation," a family statement read. "Brooke was able to speak with her in-person and personally deliver her first Higgy Bear directly to the mentee."

What's coming up next.

Now that the Higgy Bears are donated, Brooke has no intention of stopping her mission to connect with and empower scoliosis patients. Her next goal is to lead the Orange County chapter of Curvy Girls, a scoliosis support group for young girls.

Most importantly, Brooke wants to continue serving as a mentor and support system for children struggling with scoliosis. If you or someone you know struggles with scoliosis, you can connect with Brooke on Instagram by following her handle, scoliosis.brooke.

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