Former cancer patient invents a protective case to help chemo patients shower

In the rise of his career, Shiqi Ye was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at the end of 2009. He received multiple chemotherapy and radiotherapy rounds, he got frustrated and pessimistic, but finally got through all the treatments and recovered in 2013.

When hospitalized, Shiqi Ye realized that for patients undergoing chemotherapy, taking a shower is a big problem: he had anPICC (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) implanted and the device could not touch any water. Patients usually covered it with a towel and then tied it with a few layers of plastic wrap, however it’s still quite inconvenient, especially in summer.

To solve the problem, Shiqi Ye invented a protection case that would both protect the PICC tube and allow the chemotherapy patients to bathe conveniently and comfortably. The protection case has two layers, the cotton inner layer helps to promote blood circulation and fix the PICC, and the silicone outer layer is completely waterproof. With the innovative protection case, chemotherapy patients can not only take a shower, but also swim and go to the beach freely.

Ye devoted himself to studying the waterproof case when his physical condition was better. After comparing 50 materials, he finally selected the medical silicone as the material for the outer protective cover. He sketched the 3D drawings, experimented on himself and on other patients to guarantee its effectiveness and collaborated with a medical equipment manufacturer to produce the sample.

The waterproof protective case has received a patent and can be produced at cost of about 11€. It has been experimented in the cancer center of one of the best hospitals in China and is being welcomed by patients and doctors. Ye said he believes that in the near future his invention will become the essential for patients going through chemotherapy.

Adapted from: http://bit.ly/2G9XKAF