Ofir Maimon, 46, served in a special unit in the IDF, and participated in daring operations, but the biggest challenge of his life began years after he finished his military service. Eight years ago, while serving as VP of sales for a giant company in Israel, he discovered multiple sclerosis. .
He is now the first Israeli ever to undergo a bone marrow transplant, a life-threatening procedure, in order to stop the spread of the disease, and he is focusing on his rehabilitation process.
"They changed my life."
Ofir Financing and Special Development // Photo: HIT
Maimon refuses to give up the disease, and despite his disability he performs a lot of sports activities, including crossfit and cycling.
But in this area he encounters a difficult problem.
"The disease affected my limbs - arms and legs, especially on the left side, and in my left hand I have a problem with the grip. I slip while riding. I tried a lot of things but nothing worked. My urgent solution was to tie my hand using scotch tape to the bike, but It is very uncomfortable. "
Ophir in his days in the special unit, Photo: Courtesy of the person photographed
Then he came across a message from Alon Lamdani (28), who together with Yarden Gino (28), both students at the Holon Institute of Technology - HIT and studying for a bachelor's degree in industrial design in their fourth year, were looking for a disabled person to help them as part of an international project called "Fixperts".
This is a project that originated in the UK and has been held at 40 universities around the world, in the last eight years also at HIT.
As part of the project, design students develop a product for a particular partner, when it comes to ordinary people, but at the Israeli College, the course instructor, Prof. Gad Charney, decided to slightly change the nature of the course so that students develop a product for people with physical disabilities, in order to help a person overcome The routine of his life.
Did not succumb to challenges.
Ofir Maimon, Photo: Courtesy of the person photographed
"I knew Ofir in the reserve as an IDF invalid, as part of a joint group," says Alon.
I wrote that we wanted to help someone with a physical challenge, and pretty quickly Ophir told me about his problem, but added 'I do not think you will be able to solve it'. "
"Ophir is full of a sense of humor, and in one of the meetings with us he laughed and said he won the lottery - just the opposite, because his illness is an extreme case," says Jordan.
For four months, the two worked with Ophir in an attempt to find a solution in the form of a special glove that would help him grip the hand bike.
"It was fascinating, a very different process from what we've done so far in school. We've done so many projects that end up left in a drawer, and suddenly we're taking part in something that changes a person's life. I did not think I would do such a thing when I started academic studies."
Ofir Maimon and the bicycle, Photo: Courtesy of the person photographed
For four months, the two students created a prototype for a kind of glove worn by Ofir's, each time checking the result while riding and adjusting as needed.
"It was an exhausting journey, with a lot of patience on their part, because the tests had to be done in the field and each time I would go out for a ride and find in the middle that the accessory is not strong enough or that the material from which it is made does not sit well on the hand," says Ofir.
Eventually the two managed to produce a glove that best suited Ophir, and he uses it today.
“It has significantly changed my life, safety and enjoyment of riding,” he says.
"It's not understandable that two kids come to your house, go back and forth and build things like that. A process from the movies. They would come at six or seven in the morning to see the results. It's amazing."
The new development of Alon and Jordan, Photo: HIT
As part of the global project, all the details of the unique glove have been uploaded to the website of the "Fixperts" organization and a person with a similar challenge in every country in the world will be able to download the design and produce his own glove.
"The road was complex but the end result is simple. A few hours of work and you can make a new glove. You don't have to fly to China, you don't have to pay a fortune, you can just make the product with a sewing machine," Alon concludes.
Dana Yahya Schwerman, a lecturer in the design department at the college and the course coordinator, says that this is an inspiring project.
"Every time it is exciting to see the dedication of the students to their partner who lives with a disability throughout the semester, who together they develop a solution for him that will improve his quality of life. Pixpertes is considered one of the first courses The knowledge they learned along the way and develop their sensitivity and empathy as designers for others. "
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