A group of four medical students from the University of Ottawa has created a unique toy called Medical Monkeys to help young patients at Ottawa’s children’s hospital better understand their medical experiences. Maya Morcos, one of the founders, shared with CBC Radio’s All In A Day that the idea for the project stemmed from her passion for crocheting and the need to put their creations to good use.
Medical Monkeys are crochet monkey toys equipped with custom-designed 3D-printed prosthetics that depict various medical procedures familiar to the patients at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO). Amir-Ali Golrokhian-Sani emphasized the importance of representing prosthetics like cochlear implants in toys to create a relatable experience for children undergoing similar treatments.
The team has crafted Medical Monkeys with features such as glasses, prosthetic limbs, cochlear implants, G-tubes, tracheostomy tubes, and stomas. Morcos mentioned that they source models for the implants online, modify them for the monkeys, and determine the best way to attach them to the crochet bodies, describing the process as enjoyable.
The Child Life team at CHEO collaborates with the Medical Monkeys project to determine the specific designs needed for the children preparing for surgeries. Due to privacy considerations, the toys are delivered to the hospital by the team rather than given directly to the patients. However, feedback from medical staff indicates that the toys have a significant positive impact on the young patients, with heartwarming stories like a girl who bonded with her monkey before her leg amputation surgery.
The Medical Monkeys initiative continues to expand, seeking more volunteers to contribute to the cause. From initially donating only nine monkeys in December 2024, the project has grown with the support of 20 community volunteers, delivering nearly 50 monkeys in the latest distribution. Morcos expressed gratitude for the overwhelming community response and emphasized the ongoing need for volunteers to sustain and expand the project.
