A 12-Year-Old Designed a Teddy Bear to Make IV Infusions Less Scary for Kids

When Ella Casano first began getting treatment for an autoimmune disease, she found the various bags, lines, and fluids attached to her IV pole a little unsettling. That’s when the 12-year-old had the idea to obscure the infusion with a little misdirection by placing a teddy bear over the medication.

Casano, who suffers from Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), a disease that causes the body to destroy its own blood platelets, decided that others could benefit from her idea. Ella and her family created a GoFundMe so she could raise money to mass-produce the Medi Teddy, a special plush bear that doubles as a pouch for IV fluids.

From the front, the Teddy looks like a stuffed pal. The back has a mesh pocket for medication.

“When I had my first infusion, I was surprised and a little intimidated by the look of the amount of tubing and medical equipment on my IV pole,” Casano wrote on the Medi Teddy website. “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 just as much as it helps me!”

The fundraiser, which has already raised beyond its $5000 goal, will allow Casano to order 500 Medi Teddys and distribute them at no cost to children receiving IV treatments. People interested in donating can contribute via the GoFundMe or the donation page on the website.