Student becomes first Irish winner of global James Dyson Award with invention inspired by her mum's cancer journey
Olivia Humphreys, 24, won the coveted prize for her invention Athena, a scalp cooling device for people undergoing chemotherapy.
A Limerick woman has become the first Irish person to win the global James Dyson Award after she was gifted €38,000 for her medical invention inspired by her mother’s cancer journey.
Olivia Humphreys, 24, won the coveted prize for her invention Athena, which she created in her final year as a Product Design and Technology student at the University of Limerick. Athena is a portable, thermoelectric battery-operated scalp cooling device for people undergoing chemotherapy treatment who are at risk of losing their hair.
It allows patients to manage the scalp-cooling process themselves. With hospital-grade machines, patients must arrive at hospital 30 minutes early and stay for 90 minutes after infusion for pre and post-scalp cooling.
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Olivia told the Irish Mirror: “I ended up going down this route because I already knew the problem. I spent time with my mum sitting in UHL and I was able to pull from personal experience. I knew the nurses so I could collaborate with them and go to and from the hospital with ideas and prototypes through the development process and that was really beneficial.
“I am trying to improve the day-to-day life of patients because I know how exhausting it is.” Only eight out of 86 hospitals in Ireland offer scalp cooling, and even in these hospitals, the number of people that can use them is usually limited.
The 24-year-old was determined to make a more accessible scalp cooling product, as she said it can be so traumatising for cancer patients to lose their hair. Olivia added: “Studies have shown that some people find losing their hair is more traumatising than losing a breast if you have to go through surgery.
"Some people have refused chemo because of hair loss. It’s a really upsetting thing. A lot of people want to protect their children, they don’t want it to be upsetting for them to look at their mum like that.
"The motivation isn't just personal and keeping yourself well it’s trying to protect everyone else around you. It’s an overall awful thing that if it can be minimised is huge.”
Olivia’s mother Vicky has been in remission for five years, after being diagnosed with cancer in 2019. By undergoing scalp-cooling treatment in hospital, she saved 60% of her hair. The young designer has estimated the cost of Athena at €1,000.
This is significantly less than industry machines which start at around €20,000. Olivia would love to see her product be offered through hospitals and charities through a rental scheme.
She hopes to see Athena on the market by next year, and the €38,000 from the James Dyson Award will allow her to take it to the next level. Founder James Dyson said members of his family have had cancer, and hair loss is “a particularly depressing and debilitating part of chemotherapy treatment.”
He added: “You can freeze your scalp which you have to do in special facilities, but these aren't always available, are costly and it’s very painful. This year’s Medical Winner, Olivia Humphreys, has tackled this problem by designing Athena, for portable scalp cooling.
“You can wear it while you travel, you can wear it in the car to and from hospital, you can use it at home – it’s a low-cost alternative available to everybody, with the potential to make a real difference.”
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