Long Island College Student's Invention Makes Kids Feel Safer at Hospital

A 20-year-old college student on Long Island is being credited with making hospital visits a little less scary for kids.

Bobby Lenahan, a junior at Molloy College, invented what he calls the “IV Hero,” a simple paper sleeve that hospital workers can use to make it easier and less stressful to do intravenous therapy with children.

“If you look at it through the eyes of a child it transforms a scary medical procedure into the opportunity to get super powers because super powers are what's gonna help the patient feel better,” Lenahan said.

Lenahan’s invention – which only cost a couple hundred dollars in terms of investment – will soon be adopted at 21 New York City hospitals.

The Children's Cancer Center at Northwell Health Staten Island University Hospital was one of the first to put the creation to test and has seen some tremendous results, according to Carolyn Simone, a spokeswoman with the hospital.

“In all of the patients, their mood increased,” she said. “It was 100 percent. Our pilot study was 100 percent."

The imaginative invention was a big help to Lena, a girl who has to go to the hospital monthly for sickle cell anemia treatments.

Her mother, Naissatou Doumbia, said that as soon as the hospital wheeled out the IV Hero -- which nurses called “Super Sam” — it put the whole family at ease.

“It didn't change only for her! I think for the whole family. It changed her and it changed me too. Now we all feel better about coming here.”

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