Kylie Simonds from Naugatuck had troubles pushing her intravenous (IV) poles around, which carried the chemotherapy treatment she needs for her cancer. So, Kylie did what any 11-year-old does: she brainstormed and created something new to help her and kids around the nation.
Counsel & Heal News reports that Simonds had rhabdomysarcoma, which is a connective tissue cancer. She has fought with the disease three years ago, and is currently in remission. She developed the IV backpacks to make it easier for kids to be more independent while fighting.
The mockup backpack has a Hello Kitty design, which is Simonds' favorite character. Her teachers entered the backpack into the Connecticut Invention Convention, and it won several awards, including a Patent award so the design can be sent to the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
In a statement to Huffington Post, Simonds spoke about how hard it was to walk around with a pole and push it herself, especially during "weak" moments. The new IV backpacks are "very light" and "more convenient" than traditional methods, especially for young children.
Simonds says she dedicates the project to her two best friends, Marik and Brooke, who are also cancer patients at the same hospital that she had treatments at. She is currently raising money through a CrowdRise Page to create a working prototype, and hopefully begin to make the real thing for distribution.