When Jim Young (Kellogg ‘90) was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease five years ago, it made writing a challenge. But after using SteadyScrib, a pen-and-pad set designed by two Northwestern students, Young said he has since regained not only his ability to write but also his sense of independence.
Now, Young said he uses the SteadyScrib almost daily for tasks like writing to-do lists, checks and even a Valentine’s Day card for his wife.
NU graduates Izzy Mokotoff (Medill ‘24) and Alexis Chan (McCormick ‘24) first designed SteadyScrib at The Garage during their sophomore year, after Mokotoff’s grandfather lost his ability to write due to Parkinson’s disease.
After searching the internet for Parkinson’s writing tools and coming short of a solution, the pair decided to take matters into their own hands. With the combined force of Mokotoff’s journalism interest, Chan’s biomedical engineering background and a $10,000 grant from The Garage, the two got to work.
Mokotoff and Chan developed and tested multiple prototypes with Evanston residents diagnosed with Parkinson’s. Young was one of them.
“There were just so many different iterations of our design, and we were able to use a lot of resources,” Chan said. “There’s a lot of trial and error, which I think was really exciting, and working directly with people.”
Three years later, SteadyScrib has sold more than 500 pen sets internationally, and officially patented and trademarked its product Dec. 3.
“It’s honestly so surreal to me even now that people are able to just buy the product that we worked so hard on,” Chan said. “The feedback has been so positive, that’s been really amazing.”
The SteadyScrib pen is specifically designed to accommodate common Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, bradykinesia and muscle rigidity. The product is currently manufactured in partnership with Stephen Gould Packaging and assembled in Shanghai, China.
Currently, the pen set is sold for $75 a set on the SteadyScrib website, Mokotoff said. This includes the pen, a magnetic clipboard and the magnetic fasteners.
Young found the product to be “on the pricier side,” but certainly worth it to him, he said.
If someone has a financial need, Mokotoff pointed out, they can apply to the Opportunity Fund and be provided with a set at a 66% reduced cost.
“We asked people, ‘How much would you be willing to pay for products like this?’” Mokotoff said. “We took as close to the median as possible. Accessibility is one of our biggest ethos.”
Next up, Mokotoff and Chan are currently pursuing fairly different paths. Chan is taking a gap year before applying to medical school, and Mokotoff is working in consulting until she returns to NU to pursue an MBA at Kellogg.
In the meantime, SteadyScrib continues to be a tool shared within communities of people with Parkinson’s. Young said he has shared his experience with the pen set with a few members of Evanston Movers and Shakers — a Parkinson’s support group in Evanston he founded in December 2021.
“When I met Izzy and Alexis and heard their story about what they’re trying to do, I was very impressed,” Young said. “It’s really been amazing to watch the whole progression of the tested product, from concept all the way to the complete product rollout.”
Though Mokotoff’s grandfather — who the entire project was originally inspired by — passed away in 2022, the pair will continue working on SteadyScrib.
SteadyScrib’s ultimate goal, Mokotoff said, is to get the pen sets into the hands of as many people with Parkinson’s as possible.
“The ability to write again, it’s a blessing,” Young said.
Email: alexiasextou2028@u.northwestern.edu
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