Cancer Survivor, 14, Builds Toy MRI for Scared Kids

When Savannah Jost was 14, she faced eight rounds of chemo, 17 radiation treatments, and the terrifying tunnel of an MRI machine. Now cancer-free, she's making sure other kids don't have to face that fear unprepared.

Jost designed a child-sized MRI simulator for OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. Young patients can now practice the entire experience using their favorite stuffed animal or doll, complete with realistic sounds from an actual MRI machine.

The need was urgent. Child life specialist Allison West explains that many young cancer patients require multiple MRI scans throughout treatment, and most have to be sedated because the experience is so overwhelming. Lying completely still inside a tight space filled with loud, unfamiliar noises terrifies even the bravest kids.

West's team had prep books and pictures, but something was missing. "They need to be able to see, touch and manipulate," she says. "We were missing something concrete."

After joining OSF HealthCare through a high school co-op program, Jost pitched her idea to engineers at the Jump Trading Simulation & Education Center. Together, they discovered commercial toy MRIs cost a fortune, so they decided to build their own.

Sister M. Pieta Keller, an engineer with OSF Innovation Studio, worked with Jost to design a machine that could withstand enthusiastic young users. "It is big enough to be a little gymnasium as well, so we wanted it to have that strength and robustness," she explains.

The design process taught Jost valuable lessons about innovation. The biggest one? Failure comes first. "I would go and do it and most likely fail and then they let me ask them and pick their brains about it," Jost remembers.

She insisted on making the simulator as realistic as possible, refusing to sugarcoat the experience she knew all too well. The tablet plays actual MRI sounds, preparing kids for exactly what they'll hear.

Why This Inspires

Jost didn't just survive cancer at 14. She transformed her trauma into a gift for the children walking the same terrifying path she once walked. "It's knowing that I get to give back to the community that helped me, that saved my life," she says. "It makes my 14-year-old self proud."

Now a student at Bradley University, Jost plans to become a radiation oncologist. Meanwhile, her invention is already helping young patients face their scans with less fear and more confidence.

West believes the simulator will significantly reduce the need for sedation, sparing children from repeated anesthesia throughout their treatment. One stuffed animal at a time, Jost's creation is turning one of childhood cancer's scariest moments into something manageable.