Liverpool-based medical innovation company tookie Ltd are calling upon the crowd to help deliver a potentially life saving vest, dramatically impacting the lives of thousands of children receiving cancer treatment.

The tookie vest developed by company commercial director Stephen Tooke, helps to prevent the accidental removal of the 200,000 central lines fitted in the UK each year.

Commercial director Stephen Tooke said:

“After over a year of development with some of the UK’s most respectable healthcare technology co-operative’s and professionals we are delighted to be launching the tookie vest crowdfunding campaign allowing us to deliver the vest to it to those in need.”

Engineered to provide maximum safety, the tookie vest reduces the risk of complications linked to central lines providing vital protection over the patient’s body and at site of entrance.

Over 10,000 children in the UK are being treated for cancer with many having their central lines accessed on a daily basis to administer medicine and monitor patient health. While in the USA it is estimated that 1 in 285 children and adolescents will be diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20.

Unfortunately complications related to central lines are common with tubes often snagging, twisting and looping. The accidental removal of a catheter from a patient receiving long term chemotherapy is a disaster often resulting in infection with a very serious risk of death. In the UK approximately £36.2 million is spent on treating central line infection each year, in the US this figure is $2.6 Billion. A large proportion of these incidents can be avoided with one simple solution; a vest.

Launching as a product that is focused around children but also available to adults, the tookie vest minimises the chance of toddlers and children tampering with chords, eliminating exposed looping providing peace of mind to worried parents. In addition to this, the vest has a detachable pouch for the Catheter ends, lined with material that has anti-bacterial properties- reducing the chance of infection significantly.

The back closure mechanism allows for continuous access for assessment by medical staff helping patients along the road to recovery, but ensures that the vest stays secure and can’t be removed by young children themselves.

Made from warp material the vest is comfy, holds inherent antibacterial properties and is affordable. Developed alongside the latest British Standards the vest is also nighttime compliant and dermatologically tested.

Often central lines are excessively taped or bandaged leading to irritation, potential dislodgement and discomfort to patients. Unfortunately there are no products offered as standard to patients on the NHS designed primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of central lines.

The launch of the indiegogo campaign will make the tookie vest accessible to children on a global scale, following that tookie will be releasing an adult version, and is currently exploring the launch of vests that prevent infection and increase comfort across the medical industry.

Profits raised from the campaign will be put towards trails at Manchester Children’s Hospital to gain NHS certification allowing the vest to be offered to all children throughout the UK on the health service.

Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Mr Ross J Craigie said:

“As a children’s surgeon, I see first-hand the concerns that parents have around care and security of their child’s central line and also the implications of premature line removal. The tookie vest aims to give both actual line security and also peace of mind to families, something that we have been waiting for in central line care.”

To support the tookie crowdfunding campaign follow:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tookie-the-life-changing-vest-for-cancer-patients#/