Facing the Challenge

By Ege Yener, Designer

Indeed, we are going through difficult and challenging times. Sheltering in place and working remotely has been a challenge for many companies, working professionals in a variety of industries, and students. However, the challenges and difficulties that our healthcare professionals face is beyond imagination. 

I became inspired by our healthcare workers’ dedication, the way that they face physical and mental challenges of this coronavirus pandemic. I wanted to find a way to help our healthcare professionals with more than social distancing, so my friend at Los Angeles SCI-Arc, Burak Celik, Asya Nur Celik (no relation) and I started producing visors as a secondary layer of protection by using our 3D printers.

We have reached out to local communities, alma maters and student groups. In San Francisco, I joined forces with CCA alumni Madeline Cunningham, CCA’s Lab Manager Zoe McCloskey, and other alumni, staff and faculty, to assemble a team that is growing daily. So far, our team has over 70 people who are collaborating in this effort in both San Francisco and Los Angeles.

On our website, ppeSF.org, we are able to receive secure donations to help pay for supplies and other necessary costs, and also to provide instructions on the steps and measures to take in the process of 3D printing face shield visors.

A nurse receives the face shields at UCSF.

Jane Gitschier, a UCSF Professor Emeritus, helped us connect with UCSF and clarify the protocols for donating masks. We were proud to deliver our first batch of face shields to UCSF on Sunday, April 16. We will be printing and delivering more masks in the coming days and weeks and reach out to local health care centers who are in need of personal protective equipment. We are very honored to serve our healthcare professionals. 

For the first batch of face shield production, I was a part of the sanitation team. My wife Tugce Aktekin and I went to an established safe house location provided by our friends, Utku Akcok and Brigit Cvetich, located in the Sunset district. We sanitized and packaged the 3D-printed face shields following the recommended cleaning protocol (hydrogen peroxide is used to clean the 3D-printed visors and plastic shields).

Face shields delivered to UCSF on April 16 by UCSF Professor Emeritus Jane Gitschier, PhD.

Our very first productive weekend was filled with happiness and joy in support of our heroes-in-the-field by using the best of our abilities and skills. I am proud to be part of this amazing team and will continue my dedication to grow the team and deliver more masks to our health professionals here in the Bay Area. 

Besides providing face shields to our healthcare professionals, I believe small organizations like ours will inspire more people to join, contribute and create an awareness in the eyes of larger companies to get involved in the production and delivery of the protective equipment that is needed.  

If you have a 3D printer and can put it to good use, or if you want to help in this effort in any way, please visit our website at ppesf.org. 

Please stay safe and healthy! 

To read more about the regional collaborative effort visit:

https://www.sciarc.edu/news/2020/face-shields-for-covid-19

https://blogs.bsu.edu/2020/04/17/cap-alumnus-leads-movement-to-3d-print-medical-masks/

https://amp.thestarpress.com/amp/5151527002