Hamden Hall Steps Up for 'Health Heroes'

When technology and MakerSpace Design Lab technician Chris Buckley heard about a 3-D printing project that produced ear-saver adapters for face masks, he was intrigued whether he could emulate the design on Hamden Hall equipment.

Sure enough, several initial test-runs proved successful. Equipped with a $19 spool of plastic, Mr. Buckley has since produced 500 adapters, which relieve the pressure around the ears of those who wear face masks for long periods of time due to COVID-19. He is able to produce five to six of the strap holders every two hours.

Past parent and Yale New Haven nurse practitioner Christine Fontana labeled the adapters “essential” as wearing face masks for 12-hour shifts is “something new for our healthcare workers.”

“Since you can’t take your mask off, there’s no relief in sight for hospital staff who are experiencing severe irritation and chaffing,” said Fontana. “Some workers are even wearing two face masks at a time.”

Fontana said the elasticity of the face masks can be irritating and uncomfortable when worn for elongated shifts. The adapters allow the elastic to be gathered at the back of the head versus behind the ears.

To date, hundreds of adapters have been distributed to medical staff at Yale New Haven Hospital and several other hospitals throughout the country such as Chicago’s Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital, New York’s Westchester Medical Center, and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

Inspired by the work of their colleague, Middle School English teachers Lisa Daly and Allison Ehrenreich put out a call to action to Middle School students called Thank you, Health Heroes. Students were encouraged to create hand-written cards and digital art as a thank-you to healthcare workers. For those students with 3-D printers in their homes, such as seventh-grader JR Wallis, the action call meant engaging their equipment to produce more ear-saver adapters for those in need. Just this week, JR dropped off 80 adapters for distribution, according to Mr. Buckley.

“This is a way for us to give back to the community and to show appreciation for our healthcare workers who are doing so much for us right now,” said Ms. Daly.

Miss Ehrenreich added that we all have the ability to make a thank-you card “for the people who are putting their lives on the line to help our community and to keep us as safe as possible.”

Distribution of all adapters is being coordinated by Mr. Buckley who first sterilizes the strap holders before readying them for shipment. Members of our Hamden Hall school community who are in need of adapters can email Mr. Buckley or Ms. Daly their information.

Click here to view the slideshow of hand-written cards and digital art to our healthcare workers.