At just 10 years of age and after defeating leukemia, Australian Bridgette Veneris invented a smart and eco-friendly dispenser that facilitates the application of plasters.
The story of Bridgette Veneris is one of tenacity, willpower and inventiveness. At just 10 years old, the girl – originally from Melbourne, Australia – has “already” defeated a serious illness and won a major international award thanks to the system she designed to make it easier and faster to open the patches and bandages. At the age of 8, doctors diagnosed a severe form of leukemia in Bridgette. For 18 months, the girl was admitted to the Melbourne Hospital in Australia and underwent several cycles of chemotherapy. It was during her long stay that she noticed that nurses found it difficult to open the patches with gloves and had the idea of making the dispenser easier to use. “It is difficult for the nurses to open the patches because they are wearing gloves and it is also difficult for my mother because she has long nails – she told the microphones of ABC News Melbourne. I thought: if nobody does anything about it, this problem will go on forever.
The plaster dispenser that helps nurses and protects the environment
Bridgette’s design is as simple as it is innovative: the patches are attached to a rotating spool and come out of the sterile dispenser ready to use. This means that the patches can be applied without the health care professional having to waste time removing the protective film. In addition to being smart, the dispenser designed by Bridgette is also eco-friendly because it eliminates the plastic of the wrappers and protective films. All in total safety because the device closes completely to prevent germs from coming into contact with the patches. The prototype built by Bridgette was presented at the international competition for young inventors “LittleBigIdea” and was very successful. The girl was named “Best Little Scientist” throughout Australia and was awarded a trip to America and a guided tour of NASA’s headquarters in Cape Canaveral. “I’m ecstatic, I never thought I’d win,” commented the little inventor. Her story is an example of how even a dark moment in life can turn into an opportunity to use your talent and help others.