How I’ve Used the Amplify Grant to Make a Difference on Chronic Wounds

My name is Mysha, and I am a 10th grade student from India. I am genuinely passionate towards making a positive difference in this world through technology-powered medicine. I wish to make healthcare accessible to all.

Growing up, I have seen people around me denied access to education and healthcare. I remember five years ago when a family friend suddenly had a seizure. As a 10-year-old, I suggested what felt obvious to me—going to the doctor. However, to my surprise, the woman’s sister laughed at what she thought was a child being merely a child. This became one of the guiding forces behind WoundGuard, a simple infection-detecting patch for chronic wounds to be used particularly in low-resourced settings.

WoundGuard works by factoring in moisture, pH levels, and temperature to evaluate infection risks. These are indicated to the patient using color-changing technology and a simple scorecard of what every color means.

For the first prototype of WoundGuard, I tried to craft the moisture-detecting paper in a do-it-yourself (DIY) manner. It took me three attempts spread over five days to come up with something that worked. During the first two attempts, my entire concept was wrong, which I improved on in the third attempt.

It was really helpful to receive a YouthMADE Festival Amplify Grant. It helped me with budgeting and managing the resources to be used for the prototype. I was able to buy required materials like medical-grade tape, paraffin gauze, thermo chromic materials, and more for the WoundGuard Prototype 1.0. The grant also increased my self-belief and optimism about the project.

The recognition from receiving the Amplify Grant has helped me reach out to peers and mentors who have valuably contributed to my venture. By giving me feedback about accuracy and ethical concerns, they have helped me fine-tune everything about the patch and translate it into a “by the community, for the community” mission.

This journey has taught me how to stand on my own two feet, collaborate with others, and address problems creatively. The challenges that I have faced and the opportunities I have received have all taught me the importance of purpose and an independent yet collaborative approach to problems.

I plan to work more on WoundGuard Prototype 1.0 and build my way to a more clinically robust approach that can address concerns regarding the external environment and ointment/treatment effects. I also want to ensure WoundGuard is an eco-friendly solution and collaborate more actively with my community and experts to guide my venture towards success. I wish to continually improve WoundGuard and get nearer to my aim of making this world a better place, one infection at a time.

• Register for the next YouthMADE Festival Info Session to learn about showcasing student work at the 2026 YouthMADE Festival and applying for a 2026 Amplify Grant.
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