Young entrepreneur creates ear protectors for healthcare workers, donates profits to the Ottawa Food Bank

When Alex Pound overheard his mother, Dr. Catherine Pound, express the challenge of wearing elastic straps behind the ears for extended periods of time, he decided to use the 3D printer he received for his 11th birthday to design a solution.

Alex prints plastic loops that function as ear protectors by holding the elastic straps of medical masks. The adjustable protector goes behind the head, and helps to reduce the irritation of wearing a mask all day.

He started by sending a few of his creations to CHEO, where his mother is a paediatric physician. Soon word spread, and demand increased. Alex started a GoFundMe campaign, and raised the funds to buy a second 3D printer. Now he has a website and is running his own business, though he provides the protectors free to anyone who requests one.

"I just wanted to donate them” Alex told CTV, “because frontline workers they work really hard to help people and that doesn't cost anything."

Any money he does receive for his product, Alex donates to the Ottawa Food Bank, to which he’s given over $1000 to date.

Source: CTV Ottawa