CAPE CORAL, Fla — Getting a life-long diagnosis can be scary, especially for kids. So, Oasis Middle School STEM students are supporting some of their classmates with teddy bears, but they're not just regular bears.
"We started noticing that some of our students were interested in identifying ways that we could impact our community,” said John Omundsen, Director of the Oasis Schools STEM program.
Omundsen says the students didn't have to look far, to find a way they could make that impact.
"We have a large portion of students on our campus who are type one diabetic, and because of that, we saw that there were toys out there that didn't represent who they were,” said Omundsen.
So, they came up with these bears that have 3D printed Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM) attached to them.
See the CGM bears below:
The monitors don't actually work, instead, they're designed to make the children feel more comfortable with the monitors they wear.
"I was thinking about all the kids and how this would help them, and so I put a lot of dedication into making my CGM just right,” said Tyler, an 8th grader at Oasis Middle School.
These bears are a way for the students to show off their brains and their hearts.
"I have Celiac Disease, and I know how hard it is, and I know that if you don't have someone to be there for you, like it just gets really hard,” said Raegan, an 8th grader at Oasis Middle School.
So far they've helped nearly 200 children. The bears have gone to six hospitals around the country, to help educate and comfort children working through a life-altering diagnosis.
"Now they have something that's like them,” said Caden, an 8th grader at Oasis Middle School.
And their final message…
"Always be kind to others. You don't know what they're going through,” said Tyler.
You can buy a bear at the Franklin Shops in Fort Myers, to help fund the project.
