Ella Casano is a 12-year-old from Connecticut who was diagnosed with autoimmune disorder Idiopathic Thrombocytopenia Purpura (ITP) when she was 7. She doesn’t let it hold her back, and has turned her own experiences into fuel for a passion to help other kids going through similar things.
After countless trips and hours spent at the hospital staring at IV drips, Ella created the “Medi-Teddy” IV bag covers to help create a friendlier experience for other kids getting medical treatment. Here’s the story behind the bears and the super-kid who makes them.
Her Own Experience
ITP is a non-contagious autoimmune condition that causes the body to attack its own platelets. This results in low platelet levels and excessive bleeding and bruising. Usually, ITP eventually goes away in children as they grow up.
But this wasn’t the case for Ella. To do the things she loves as a 12-year-old, Ella must get IV infusions every 8 weeks. Even after going through all the infusions and subsequent steroid injections, Ella has to take time off school because of migraines and the after-effects of the treatments.
