Students at Chantilly Academy in Fairfax County have crafted a mobile medical bed to help eighth-grader Liam Bruen, who has muscular dystrophy, return to in-person classes. Bruen, who cannot stay upright for long, has been learning from home after his nurse retired. With this new bed, he will join Chantilly High School as a freshman.
The project, led by senior Sebastian Nowicki and his peers, has been in development for two years. The engineering team collaborated with physical and occupational therapy students to design a bed tailored to Bruen's needs. They are now adding final touches like storage containers and decorations.
Initiated by teacher Lindsey Grilliot, the project began with a detailed plan presented to auto tech, carpentry, and engineering students. The engineering team took the lead, addressing challenges such as accommodating Bruen’s ventilator and feeding tube and ensuring quick transfers from his wheelchair.
"Seeing a student like Liam, who just wants to be around his friends and learn in the school environment and being able to offer a way for him to do that, has been really neat," Grilliot said.
The bed includes mounts for medical equipment, multiple outlets, and storage baskets for Bruen’s materials. Although it doesn’t fit in the elevator, it has been tested for door clearance throughout the school. The project benefited from feedback from a George Mason University professor and a grant from Educate Fairfax.
"Having a real problem to solve has been very valuable," said senior Tara Magill. "The solutions we’ve designed are actually going to be used."
Bruen recently visited the academy to see the bed, and his excitement was evident. The next step is finding a new nurse to support him at school.
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