NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — After being diagnosed with a rare condition, a New Port Richey teen customizes stuffed animals to provide comfort to children in the hospital.
Aubrey Harris, 15, started Medical Minis. She sends stuffed animals to children around the country, customizing them to reflect a child's specific diagnosis.
"Just having that stuffed animal that looked like me, it was really nice," she said.
About 4 years ago, Harris was diagnosed with gastroparesis.
"It basically means my stomach was paralyzed and I wasn't able to completely empty and digest the food I ate," said Harris.
"Every time I ate, I would get really sick. I would get really nauseous and would be in awful pain for hours after I ate," she added.
She struggled to tolerate food and needed a feeding tube.
While in the hospital, she had a stuffed animal that provided her comfort. She said with the help of a specialist, they gave the stuffed animal a feeding tube too.
"It was a blue unicorn, and it had the yellow and purple feeding tube in its nose like I did. It just brought me so much comfort while I was in the hospital during that time," she said.
In 2024, she received a gastric electric stimulator at a hospital in Orlando. She is doing better since her diagnosis several years ago.
She now mails stuffed animals to children across the country.
"I hope that every child or teenage that receives a mini is going to be able to look at it and it's just going to help them feel more normal and just let them know that something that's keeping you alive is beautiful," she said.
To learn more about Medical Minis, click here.
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