When hospitals in Quinn Callander's home town of Maple Ridge, British Columbia, requested ear guards for medical professionals in March, the 12-year-old got to work. (The devices alleviate some of the pressure on the ears from wearing a mask all day.) Callander, a member of Scouts Canada, the Canadian version of Boy Scouts of America, wanted to help. "He was excited to be able to use his love of 3D printing to give back to the front line workers who risk their lives to save others," says his mom, Heather Roney.

Image zoom Quinn Callander shows some of the ear guards he 3D printed. Courtesy of Heather Roney

Callander researched prototypes online and made a few different versions. A friend of the family, who's a nurse, tested them and decided which one was most comfortable. Callander immediately got to work printing the guards and started giving them to local hospitals.

On April 4, Roney uploaded a Facebook post detailing Callander's efforts that garnered tens of thousands of likes, shares, and comments. He then started receiving requests from all over North America and was eager to honor them, so that's when the small operation turned into a "family affair," Roney says. "Quinn and my husband are in charge of production, and I am in charge of answering requests and packing orders for Quinn to take to the mailbox," she explains. "All three of us take turns waking up in the middle of the night to switch over the printer and start a fresh batch [of guards]."

Not only has Callander been helping those in need, but he's also inspired others to do the same. After uploading the popular social media posts showing Callander and his ear guards, Roney shared the link to the file they've been using, and now others are printing and donating ear guards to their local healthcare workers. "They all thank Quinn for inspiring them to help make a difference," she says.

Image zoom Quinn Calander sits with his 3D printer as it prints ear guards. Courtesy of Heather Roney

So far, Roney estimates they've printed about 1,200 ear guards, and the recipients have been grateful for them. "It is very heartwarming to hear that such a small item made by a 12-year-old boy made a big difference in their lives," Roney says. "The message we hear over and over again is that now they can focus on their patients and stop focusing on the pain they feel in their ears." Roney adds that she's also received touching messages from individuals who aren't able to wear masks properly because of not having both ears, from trauma or birth defects, or because they wear a turban or hijab. "I work as a hearing instrument practitioner, so I test hearing and fit people with hearing aids, and I love to help those that struggle to wear their hearing aids with a mask," she says.