While children can be naturally inventive, 10-year-old Bridgette Veneris from Melbourne took it to a new level with an invention that has just won her a dream trip to NASA.
Diagnosed with leukaemia last year, Bridgette noticed her family and medical staff constantly struggling to unwrap adhesive bandages - especially with gloves on - so she invented a dispenser to deliver it much like sticky tape.
After a number of prototypes and trials had been made, the final product - dubbed the Faster-Aid - emerged that not only removed the hassle of unwrapping band-aid-style plasters, it also sealed to keep them sterile.
The product was entered into the Origin littleBIGidea competition and Bridgette was awarded first place by Dr Rob Bell, of Network Ten's science show SCOPE and James O'Loghlin from ABC tv's New Inventors, who says the design "is brilliant in it's
simplicity," adding that it makes an everyday task easier and cuts waste.Bridgette was at her Melbourne school - St Joseph's School in Chelsea - when the announcement was made and told ABC News how she felt.
"It makes me feel amazing, I never thought I could win the prize," she said.
After long hours of chemotherapy over 18 months, the grade four student now has her trip to NASA to look forward to with the other two major prize winners.
ACT pupil Dylan Bathgate won the Year 5-6 major prize with a food recycling app and South Australia's Kern Mitchell won the Year 7-8 category with a smart sprinkler system.
Nine runners up received $1500 prize money for their inventions.
It's a dream come true for Bridgette who will finally achieve her wish to sit in a space shuttle when she departs on her 'innovation adventure' to NASA in addition to visiting Disney World and Ripley's Believe It Or Not odditorium.
Speaking to 7 News she said, "I love space... and to actually go to NASA to learn so much more would be amazing."
Follow Essential Kids on Twitter