CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — As March Madness heats up, the Fighting Illini basketball team is eager for tournament play. Freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. is determined to be part of it, but a broken wrist has sidelined him. Fortunately, an Illinois graduate’s invention is now playing a role in his recovery.
Ashley Moy, a 2016 bioengineering graduate, launched Cast21 at the University of Illinois’s Research Park as a student. “Cast21 started as just an idea between friends,” Moy explained. “One of our other co-founders has been in more than 65 casts and braces in his lifetime. We decided to create something better for when he would need another cast or brace.”
What began in Champaign has evolved into a company changing lives with unique wrist casts, like Johnson’s. “This product is lightweight, waterproof, and breathable for the patient. But, it’s also streamlined and easier to use for the clinicians as well,” Moy said. “It’s our goal to make this recovery journey a positive one.”
Illini fans reached out to Moy, the co-founder and CEO, hoping the technology could aid Johnson after his injury on February 15 against Michigan State. Brad Underwood, Illinois’s head coach, was enthusiastic about the idea and expressed his pride in the supportive U of I community. “Glad to see we have that kind of fan base who cares enough to reach out,” he remarked. Coach Underwood is eager to see how it aids his player’s return to the court. “It’s very firm,” Underwood said. “It fits him very, very well.” He also noted that the cast’s perforations facilitate bone stimulation.
Moy is thrilled by this full-circle moment, witnessing her product being used where the initial concept was conceived. “It’s a surreal experience to see our product on a player I used to cheer for; I was in the basketball band so I used to play for them,” Moy said. “I’m so glad and grateful that the community really came together to make this happen.”
While Moy refrained from claims about healing speed, she did emphasize that the cast’s design allows for technologies like bone or muscle stimulation, both of which can support the healing process.
