Her journey from life-saving heart surgery to Disneyland’s CHOC Walk

Katie Whaley’s lifelong journey has taken her from life-saving heart surgery as an infant at Children’s Hospital of Orange County to her role today as part of the Disneyland team that puts on the massive CHOC Walk in the Park that helps families when they need it most.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling and energy of CHOC Walk until you experience it,” Whaley said via an email interview. “For me, it’s an overwhelming feeling of community to be part of this group all coming together to celebrate and support an organization that has touched all participants in one way or another.”

The CHOC Walk in the Park returns to Disneyland on Sunday, Aug. 20 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the Anaheim theme park.

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Whaley’s CHOC success story symbolizes the mission and purpose of the hospital and the goal of the annual Disneyland fundraising event that raises millions for pediatric research, education and programs.

Whaley’s story starts with Minnie Mouse visiting her in the CHOC pediatric ICU when she was a patient in 1994 and continues to today with her working alongside Mickey Mouse and Disney’s other famed characters who line the CHOC Walk route encouraging walkers along the 5K journey through the parks.

“My favorite part is always seeing the volunteers and cheer squads lining the walk path supporting and cheering on the walkers,” said Whaley, 29, of Aliso Viejo. “That spirit mixed with participants in fun costumes and the opportunity to see some favorite characters creates a truly unique atmosphere.”

Whaley had surgery at CHOC when she was six months old to fix an issue with a vein coming off her heart that was wrapped around her trachea. The vascular ring, as the anomaly is known, was cutting off Whaley’s ability to breathe.

“We waited months for a diagnosis as it’s a challenging issue to identify in a young baby, but the heroes at CHOC came to our rescue,” Whaley said. “I was in the pediatric intensive care unit for five days while in recovery, including over the Thanksgiving holiday.”

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Whaley and her family give back to CHOC by walking in the Disneyland fundraising event each year. In addition, the Whaleys make Thanksgiving dinner every year for the pediatric intensive care unit staff as a way of saying thanks for saving her life nearly three decades ago.

This year, Whaley will participate in the annual fundraising event through her role in the Disneyland communications department where she supports community-outreach initiatives like the CHOC Walk.

“I’m looking forward to my first CHOC Walk experience as a cast member myself,” Whaley said. “It’s an honor to be part of bringing to life an event that has meant so much to me and my family for years.”

Whaley’s mother, who also works at Disneyland, calls Katie’s heart surgery “one of the hardest times of our lives.”

“Ever since then, we have loved supporting CHOC as a family in various ways, including CHOC Walk, as a way of saying thank you to the wonderful hospital team,” Lisa Whaley said via email.

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The annual CHOC Walk event kicks off at 6 a.m. Sunday before the parks open and travels through Disneyland, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney.

Starbucks and Jamba open at 5 a.m. in Downtown Disney to fuel the walkers and other restaurants and shops open early and offer discounts to cater to participants.

The CHOC Walk event raises up to $3 million each year and has raised more than $40 million over the past three decades. The fundraising deadline for the annual event remains open until 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19.

Disneyland has had a long relationship with CHOC that dates back to before the hospital opened when Walt Disney served on the founding board and helped secure funds for construction.

Today, the hospital features Disney-designed touches that include an 18-foot-long lobby mobile and a Turtle Talk with Crush attraction similar to the show at Disney California Adventure.