urbell Plastics, Inc. recently shipped more than a dozen rolls of heavy transfer paper with child-friendly patterns to The Higgy Bears Foundation, the charitable division of Higgy Bears. Higgy Bears helps children with scoliosis adapt to their orthotics by producing special stuffed animals with mini scoliosis braces. The nonprofit Higgy Bears Foundation is dedicated to getting Higgy Bears to Children’s Hospitals throughout the United States.
Lauren Higginson, founder of Higgy Bears, reached out to Curbell Plastics, Inc., inquiring if Curbell O&P would be interested in donating transfer paper to the new nonprofit division of her company. She would cover all shipping costs, and could even take sheets as small as 8.5″ x 11″. Those were unusually small dimensions, as transfer paper is most often used for ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), knee ankle foot orthosis (KAFO) and body jacket/scoliosis braces (TLSO). Due to the amount of material it takes to wrap those braces, transfer paper is typically sold in rolls 39 inches wide and in lengths up to 30 feet long. But Higginson wasn’t using the transfer paper for people; it would be used for teddy bears.
A scoliosis patient herself, Higginson was diagnosed at the age of 13 and deemed permanently disabled before the age of 30. She wanted to help others with scoliosis not feel so alone with their diagnosis. She especially didn’t want children to feel as lonely as she did while they experience the challenges of living with scoliosis. She founded Higgy Bears to give children a companion who also had an orthosis, and has since created more than 5,000 braces for dolls and stuffed animals to match a child’s brace. The commercial success of Higgy Bears has enabled Higginson to expand her business into the charity she hoped it to be.
The general request was forwarded to Curbell O&P Business Manager Kyle Terras. Intrigued, he contacted Higginson to learn more. “After speaking with Lauren and learning about her plans for this philanthropic endeavor,” Terras said, “Curbell O&P was more than happy to help with her request.”
Terras chose a few rolls of heavy transfer paper with child-friendly patterns that Curbell O&P could donate. He emailed the pattern images to Higginson and asked which she liked best and in what lengths she would need. Surprised at the offer of so many patterns, she responded she would gratefully take them all and in whatever amount he could spare. A couple of days later, Terras replied that he pulled two rolls of thirty-foot heavy transfer paper in each pattern — 18 rolls in total — and was ready to ship them to her preferred address. Terras even told Higginson not to worry about the shipping.
“Curbell has a history of donating materials to causes that align with our values,” Terras said, “and we will continue to give back all we can. We take great pride on being able to not only help these causes, but also provide them with materials that will deliver the best results. Curbell is a company that values integrity and respect; Higgy Bears’ mission to give a child who receives their first brace a companion with a matching brace was an especially good fit for us. We look forward to a continued partnership between our organizations.” www.curbellplastics.com. For more information about the Higgy Bears Foundation, visit higgybears.com/donate.