Reem Ettouri When Saugus High School senior Reem Ettouri learned that her dad was only 3 years old when he lost his father due to diabetes complications, it left quite a mark on her. She’s since fostered a dream to serve a cause related to health and the medical field.   Then, in 2018, Ettouri’s dad was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, forcing him to wear an insulin pump. Over the years, Ettouri saw her dad struggle with the device. It would unstick and fall off his body at times, sometimes hitting the ground and shattering. Adhesive strips that held the device on his body would at other times leave glue residue on his skin.   Ettouri wanted to make a difference, and she did so over the summer with the creation of her own company, Shiro, and a new product she calls the Shiropatch.  “My motive was to create something that would stick and last,” Ettouri said in an interview. “He (her dad) has tried them. He enjoys them. It’s honestly really relieving to help my dad and to also see something that would help and benefit other people, too.”   Ettouri talked about how diabetes is an invisible disability due to so many consequential complications, some not even associated with health issues.   Ettouri’s dad has been wearing the Omnipod insulin pump, which is a small device that eliminates the need for multiple daily injections and lets users easily deliver insulin with the touch of a button. It’s also expensive, Ettouri said, so when the device dropped and broke, it was costly.  “My mission basically is to provide a comfortable and durable adhesive that would solve common issues typically faced by people who are diabetic and who have to wear these Omnipods,” she said “I felt really inspired by my dad. We would always play soccer, and it (the device) would always get loose.”  The Shiropatch is a comfortable and durable adhesive patch that Saugus High School senior Reem Ettouri designed, made and is selling to those with diabetes who have to wear an Omnipod insulin pump. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal Ettouri’s dad was essentially the “guinea pig” for testing the adhesive materials.   “He tried so many of them, and the majority of them would never stick well or they didn’t work exactly as much as we wanted them to,” Ettouri said. “We wanted something that was gentle on the skin but would still be durable to handle.”  She and her dad eventually found a combination of adhesives and fabrics in a reliable design that worked well. And when it came time to mass produce the product, the young entrepreneur went to the father of a friend of hers who owned a manufacturing company.  “We sent him the prototypes and the materials,” Ettouri said. “He told us, ‘Perfect. We can create these and then give them back to you and tell us if you like it.’”  Ettouri hand-drew the original design of the product. She also created the look of her brand.  “I wanted to make sure it was something that looked aesthetically pleasing while still being durable at the same time,” she said.   So far, Ettouri has been happy with the response she’s getting. It’s still early to say if it’s a total success, but it’s been heading in the right direction.   In addition to selling her product on Amazon, Etsy, Mercari and through her website at shiropatch.carrd.com, Ettouri has also been sharing the Shiropatch at economic conferences and through the Future Business Leaders of America career and technical student organization.   And while Ettouri is focused on seeing her company succeed, her plans after high school include attending the University of California, Los Angeles, or UC Irvine, with the ultimate goal of working in the public health field. Additionally, she’s striving to advocate for policies for insulin and diabetic reform.  Ettouri was born in Philadelphia. Her parents came to America from Morocco. When she was 4 years old, her family moved to Los Angeles. While living in L.A., they’d often visit Santa Clarita for a day at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center on Centre Pointe Parkway.  “My brother and I both love swimming,” she said. “So, one day we (her family) were like, ‘Oh, let’s see the houses here in Santa Clarita,’ because we love it so much here. And then we found a house.”  She’s called the Santa Clarita Valley her home ever since and, according to her mother, Souhaila Ettouri, she doesn’t take for granted the good that the community has offered her. Ettouri is always eager to give back, to help others and to do good in the world.  “Reem is a truly special person,” her mom wrote in an email. “She is very passionate and caring. She is also very mature for her age and has always put others first. As the eldest, she has always felt a sense of responsibility. Reem is kind and resourceful. From the time she was little, I hardly had to guide her in her personal or academic journey. She knew exactly what she wanted and set goals to achieve it.”  Ettouri’s mom added that her daughter has gone beyond just creating the Shiropatch to help her dad and others. She’s started projects to help students in need in the SCV and in Morocco, she’s participated in programs that help girls in rural areas gain access to education, and she’s always helping her dad research strategies to improve his health and make life easier.  “She is constantly looking for diet and nutrition plans, and she has his glucose monitor connected to her phone to track his levels,” her mom said. “My husband has severe complications from diabetes and is currently on insulin and other medications for his organs, so Reem plays a vital role in ensuring he’s OK.”  As for Ettouri’s product, her mom said she’s seen the positive results firsthand. The fact that she has personal dealings with the challenges of diabetes in her family certainly hasn’t been lost on some people.  The Shiropatch is a comfortable and durable adhesive patch that Saugus High School senior Reem Ettouri designed, made and is selling to those with diabetes who have to wear an Omnipod insulin pump. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal Valentyna Makarov, who was a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Eastvale, California, when she met Ettouri last year through Future Business Leaders of America, took great comfort in knowing what Ettouri went through with her father to come up the Shiropatch.  “Being diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic has been such a struggle for the majority of my life, and I really do appreciate that she tries to add variety and a touch of excitement to something so mundane,” Makarov said. “Her products are designed strategically, adhere very well to the skin, and I definitely plan to purchase more in the future.”  Ettouri is, of course, thrilled with the responses she’s received so far. However, she doesn’t feel like she can stop there. She’s determined to get the word out there.  “I’m excited to move onto the next step and hopefully try to grow my business more on online platforms,” Ettouri said. “I was thinking of even reaching out to CVS and seeing about doing a little pop-up there. But most of all, it’s about helping the community and helping people.”  Know any unsung heroes or people in the SCV with an interesting life story to tell? Email [email protected].  Portrait of Reem Ettouri earlier this month in Valencia. Habeba Mostafa/The Signal The post Faces of the SCV: Stuck on helping those with diabetes appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.