Ella Casano was only seven when she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP). It’s an immune disorder with an unusually low level of platelets in the blood.
Casano has been suffering from the disease which requires her to get a transfusion every two months. When she had her first infusion, Casano was disturbed by the look of the apparatus on her IV pole.
“I was surprised and a little bit intimidated by the look of the amount of tubing and medical equipment on my IV pole,” she shared. “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.”
Medi Teddy is a stuffed animal pouch that hides an IV bag. From the front, the young patient only sees a cuddly bear and not the medication or the IV fluid-filled sack. While the back of the pouch is made of mesh, allowing doctors or nurses to check on the back without any issues.
Casano has patented the stuffed animal and together with her family, they set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money to help 500 kids get a Medi Teddy for free.
