Chelsea Dolls, Lemonade Stands, and Scoliosis Awareness | Scoliosis Awareness Month | Sydney Black

Now, for our surgeon audience that's listening, you were diagnosed at a really young age, just four years old, and you've been working really hard to keep your curve stable and avoid surgery.

But when you were around nine years old, you received a Chelsea scoliosis doll, I think in your Easter basket, right?

That is correct.

Yeah.

Can you tell us what that doll meant to you when you opened it? And tell us a little bit about what the Chelsea doll is.

The Chelsea doll meant so much to me because I was the only one in my school that had a scoliosis brace.

So when I saw that doll, it made me feel like I wasn't alone.

That's awesome.

Tell us what a Chelsea doll is.

A Chelsea doll is like a miniature Barbie doll.

And this particular Chelsea, was she wearing a brace also?

She was.

Oh, that's awesome.

Did your brace and her brace look a lot alike or were there differences?

They did look a lot alike, kind of like this.

That's perfect.

That's excellent.

Now, that one looks sort of a blue-green color.

What color is yours when you had one at that age?

Mine was a light purple with butterflies on it.

I know that pattern.

That's a good pattern.

All right.

Now, your mom also shared a story with us that involves a beautiful memory of you standing in the kitchen and looking at that doll and saying you wished every girl with scoliosis could have one.

What do you think made you want to take your own experience and then turn it into a mission for other kids?