PASADENA, CALIF. - Edwardsville High School senior Mia Williams had an experience of a lifetime when she played a key part in the Rose Parade on January 1 in Pasadena, Calif.
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Williams is a National Patient Ambassador for Shriners Children’s and was one of the featured patients riding the pediatric hospital system’s float in the Rose Parade. Mia also had a hand in decorating the Shriners Children’s float.
Mia was diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents. While scoliosis can occur in people with conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most childhood scoliosis is unknown. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but some curves worsen as children grow.
“We got up super early for the parade and drove down to see the float and all other floats lined up,” Mia said. “When it was ready to go it was so beautiful to see so many flowers all in one spot and it was ready to go it was an amazing feeling. It was such a good time and the crowd was wonderful. So many out in the crowd thanked the Shriners and it was actually kind of emotional at times how many we were able to connect with. It was just an amazing experience.”
Mia has been a patient ambassador for Shriners Children’s since she was 4 years old. She said being a National Patient Ambassador is a huge deal and the work is extremely rewarding. Usually, there are two nominated for the National Patient Ambassador posts but this year she and her partner were fortunate enough to be carried over into this year because of COVID-19 last year. She said the time on the float with the other three of her closest friends was also “amazing.”
“The other three are some of my closest friends and feel like family to me,” she said.
Amy Williams, Mia’s mother, and Dr. Andrew Williams, an administrator at EHS, are her parents. Mia has one brother, Evan.
Mia is a part of the Edwardsville High School choir and drama club. Drama has always been of interest to her.
“It was an emotional day on Sunday,” Amy Williams said. “When you are going through all this you are in the work mode, but this was a time of just sitting down and being in the grandstands sitting right at the front of the Rose Parade. I thought this is something so iconic that m daughter is on that float. I understand how much love and work goes into the float.”
Amy said every day she is so proud of her daughter.
“She has had just under 20 surgeries,” she said. “She started bracing at 18 months. She started Shriners care at age 2 and continued bracing. She had to be put in halo tractions and her surgical journey started when she was 13 or 14 and ended with a spinal fusion.”
“She had a 90-degree curvature of her spine and to end up with a beautiful, straight spine that is proportionate is because of Shriner’s Children’s. They helped raise her as well as my husband and she thinks of those at the hospital as part of the family. She calls one nurse who cares for her ‘grandma.’”
Shriners Children’s Hospital has been a second home for Mia since she was a baby.
“I owe my life and every core memory to Shriners Children’s Hospital,” she said. “It shaped me into the person I am. I am proud to be able to walk around and move and do whatever I like because of Shriners Children’s. My journey has led me to this. I want to share my experiences and those of the other national patient ambassadors to thank the people. This is what I have always wanted to do - tell people about the wonders of Shriners Children’s Hospital and what it has meant for my life.”
