The genesis for the Freedom-TouchTM hygienic fingertip protector came about in 2009 when my mother and I were standing in line at a grocery store in Orlando, Florida waiting to check-out. My mom, Barbara Robb, had just finished her third cancer treatment and her health was still very fragile. In fact, her doctors had warned her to limit her exposure to public places where she might come into contact with sick people. This day was a perfect example of the worst case scenario.
The lady in front of us in line was repeatedly coughing and sneezing really hard into her hand as she waited for the checker to ring up her order. She was obviously very sick and yet, there we were, right behind her in line. When the checker rang up her order, we noticed that she used the same hand that she had sneezed into, just moments before, to punch in her PIN numbers on the keypad. After doing so, she left with her groceries and we moved right into that space where she had just been standing.
When it came time for my Mom to use the keypad, she looked over at me and I saw the expression on her face. She was afraid to touch the keypad – and rightly so! In her condition, getting sick could be a life-threatening situation, given her compromised immune system. So, I keyed-in the numbers for her to process her transaction and we quickly left the store.
Later that day, the image of the Freedom-Touch fingertip protecter came into my mind and I sketched it out on a piece of paper then shared it with my Mom and the rest of my family. There is nothing else like it on the market and we knew this device could be helpful for cancer patients like my Mom who need to constantly remain vigilant about their exposure to germs during and even after chemotherapy and radiation treatments. My motivation was to help my Mom lead as normal a life as possible without having to carry the burden of always worrying about getting sick from exposure to others’ germs.
In 2010, I filed the patent for the Freedom-Touch device and now have a Patent Pending. In researching the types of germs that exist in public places, I learned that most germs can live for up to two days in time. Many different types of germs thrive in public places as a result of people constantly doing credit card transactions and using keypads, over and over again. The places where keypads are being used surround us every day. And while we have become comfortable with using keypads at our banks, retail stores, service centers, schools and fast-food stores, we are literally being bombarded with germs as we use them.
As soon as we created a prototype, my Mom began using it every time she went out. The response to her use has been totally positive and encouraging: Everywhere she goes, people want to know how they can get one. Nobody wants to be exposing themselves to germs if they don’t have to!
Our family – and especially my Mom – has been through quite a tumultuous time over the past five years. Initially, when she was first diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer, her prognosis for survival was poor, at best. She has survived two major surgeries and several regimes of chemotherapy and radiation but she’s shown us that she is a fighter and her passion for life, family and friends has kept her spirits high.
For that we have to thank her dedicated, compassionate and professional doctors and staff at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Orlando Regional Medical Center and the Dr. Phillip’s Hospital in Orlando, Florida and the many people who have prayed for her renewed health. My Mom has an amazingly strong will to survive and she is the impetus for the Freedom-Touch device and a testament to others. Her doctors call her a “Walking Miracle” because of what she’s been through and they use her story to give inspiration and hope to other patients.
As I write this, my Mom is probably tinkering around in her garden or cooking for family or friends. She’s doing what she loves to do and we’re hopeful that she will continue to thrive and stay healthy. Our family is truly blessed to have her in our lives. She is an inspiration for all to see.
We hope the Story Behind the Invention of Freedom-Touch inspires you to protect your health and that of the people you love!