College students invent device to help stroke patient hug his grandchildren

Emily Sisco, an occupational therapy assistant and adjunct professor at Arkansas State University, challenged her students to develop a tool for her dad, Kevin Eubanks. Eight years prior, Eubanks had a massive stroke, which left him with weakness in his left arm.

Four students completed the request brilliantly by designing a tool that helped Eubanks do something he hadn’t done in over eight years. The students Lisa James, Larissa Garcia, Erica Dexter, and Casey Parsons realized, after inquiring Eubanks about his likes and dislikes, that he missed being able to hug his grandchildren. So, they decided to team up and created the ‘HugAgain’, which is a strap that the patient grabs with the functional hand in order to embrace another person.

The first time Eubanks put the equipment to use with his grandchildren, he was overjoyed and burst into tears. The emotional response was even captured and shared by his daughter becoming viral on social media.

This story was adapted from: https://theweek.com/life/good-news/1011031/college-students-design-devic... andhttps://www.today.com/parents/parents/arkansas-students-invent-tool-help...

The images were taken from: https://www.facebook.com/TheHugger2022/ , as we do not own any of them.