Off course we want to follow all developments of the participants of our MedtechPartners foundation support. Besides the regular 1:1 team contact we have with our alumni, we also love to share periodically a short development update of a specific alumnus with our community.
In this update we are catching up with PontesNL alumnus Kelsey Bruins of Radboudumc Amalia kinderziekenhuis. Kelsey is founder of the game Sikkelcel Adventures and off course we would love to hear an update about the developments of her game.
How arose your initial idea for the game Sikkelcel Adventures?
It all started in my work as a pediatric nurse, where I regularly care for children with sickle cell disease experiencing severe sickle cell crises. In those moments, I didn’t just witness their pain, I also saw their confusion. Many children simply didn’t understand what was happening in their bodies or what they could do to prevent a crisis. Conversations with children and their parents made it clear that they needed understandable explanations and practical tools to take more control over their condition.
During the 'Leergang Mensgericht Innoveren' at the Health Innovation Labs of Radboudumc, I further deepened this challenge. I spoke extensively with children, parents, the patient association OSCAR, and various healthcare professionals to understand the problem from their perspective. It became evident that children aged 4 to 12 received very little support in learning to manage their condition independently. Current education is not child- or developmentally-oriented; it is primarily aimed at parents. Moreover, self-management training often only begins around age twelve.
This gap leads to significant challenges: children lack insight into their condition, fail to recognize early signs of a crisis, and struggle with adherence to treatment. The consequences? More severe episodes such as sickle cell crises or infections, more hospital admissions, and a heavy burden on parents.
It was clear that things needed to change. Together with all stakeholders, we brainstormed the most suitable solution: something that would help children understand their condition positively and playfully. That’s how the idea for an interactive educational game, Sickle Cell Adventures, was born.
Can you shortly introduce your innovation?
Sickle Cell Adventures is an interactive educational game designed to help children aged 4 to 12 with sickle cell disease better understand their condition in a way that fits their age and world. Through play, children learn about recognizing their limits, lifestyle, treatment adherence and symptom awareness.
The game grows with the child, including a reward system to maintain motivation, a buddy function for peer support and a parent section that helps parents guide their children. The goal? To empower children to feel stronger, more confident and better prepared to manage their condition, at home and beyond the hospital walls.
How did you experience the PontesNL support?
PontesNL was truly a catalyst for me. With their 1 on 1 guidance, I was able to bring my innovation to life. It was my first time applying for a grant, but with Joep’s help, I quickly turned my ideas into a clear and concrete plan. He taught me to think critically about impact, funding, collaboration agreements, and scaling possibilities. Essential steps to turn an idea into a sustainable product.
The results were immediate: our very first application was approved by the 'Agis Innovatiefonds'. In a short time, I learned an incredible amount. Thanks to PontesNL, we are now organizing co-creation sessions and have started developing a prototype in collaboration with Games For Health.
Where do you hope to be in 5 years with your innovation?
In five years, I hope Sickle Cell Adventures will be a standard part of sickle cell care in the Netherlands, allowing every child with the condition to learn about their health through play in a safe environment.
We also dream of an international rollout, especially to countries where sickle cell disease is prevalent, such as parts of Africa, Suriname and the Caribbean. And who knows... Sickle Cell Adventures might even become the foundation for similar games for other chronic childhood conditions. The need for accessible, positive health education is universal.
Are you currently facing challenges that partners in the community can help you with?
Absolutely! We are currently in the prototype development phase, and for the next steps, we are looking for partners who can support funding, behavioral science validation and international scaling.
Another challenge is creating a neutral or positive business case. Because our focus is primarily on prevention and self-management outside the hospital system, securing sustainable funding is essential to ensure the game can continue long-term.
We are also open to collaboration with healthcare institutions or foundations that want to strengthen self-management and child-centered prevention for children with sickle cell disease.
Which lessons learned would you like to share with other care professionals with a great innovation idea?
Start small, but think big. And above all: develop with your target group, not just for them.
The strength of Sickle Cell Adventures lies in co-creation with children, parents, the OSCAR patient association and healthcare professionals. Their stories, concerns, and ideas form the foundation of the design.
Finally, dare to pursue your idea, even if it’s outside your comfort zone. Innovation in health(care) requires courage, but the reward of creating something that truly makes a difference for children and families is priceless.