A 12-year-old girl diagnosed with an autoimmune disease has created something that she hopes will make treatment less scary for herself and other children.
Ella Casano of Fairfield, Connecticut was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) at age seven, according to a report published Thursday by WTHR NBC News. Casano has to get infusions every eight weeks to stay healthy. To help herself feel more comfortable with the IV and tubing, she created a teddy bear pouch to cover the bag.
???? MEDI TEDDY: A 12-year-old girl who regularly receives an IV for a rare autoimmune disorder, recognized the stress that can come in this environment for a kid and decided to create something that would make it less intimidating. ???? https://t.co/6TFyUiwKMu
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) June 14, 2019
“When I had my first infusion, I was surprised and a little bit intimidated by the look of the amount of tubing and medical equipment on my IV pole,” Casano wrote on the Medi Teddy page. “As I saw more and more children experiencing the same feelings, I became more interested in creating a friendlier experience for young IV patients, so I created Medi Teddy. I hope that Medi Teddy helps you as much as it helps me.” (RELATED: Country Star Darius Rucker Raises $2 Million For Children’s Hospital)
SWEET INVENTION | “The purpose of the Medi Teddy is to conceal a bag of IV fluid, medication, or blood product from the child who is receiving it and instead provide a friendly face to look at!” https://t.co/hfINUAJPfK
— News 6 WKMG (@news6wkmg) June 14, 2019
The teddy bear has a mesh pocket on the back that gives doctors access to the medication bag. The stuffed animal has been patented, but Casano still needs 500 units of bears before she can put out her first order.
Casano and her family are planning to file to make Medi Teddy a 501(c)3 nonprofit. All Medi Teddys will be donated to children receiving treatment.