A study semester in Finland with COOL*SAFE

Travelogue of a chronically ill student: My semester abroad and the challenge of medication refrigeration

As a student, you often dream of spending a semester abroad during your studies, discovering new cultures and exploring the world. I also had this dream. But what seemed so simple at first turned out to be a particular challenge for me. The reason was my chronic illness, which requires me to take important medications regularly. This soon proved to be a major obstacle to my travel plans.

I started planning my semester abroad early on and quickly realised that one of the biggest challenges would be keeping my medicines safe while I was away. Since I depend on these medicines, it was absolutely crucial for me to keep them at the right temperature during my trip and stay. A break in the cold chain could have serious consequences for my health.

I did everything I could to leave nothing to chance. My pharmacist, whom I have known and trusted for a long time, helped me find solutions. Still, there were always doubts. What if the medicines get too hot or too cold during the flight? How can I make sure the temperature remains constant? The large Styrofoam boxes initially suggested to me soon proved impractical. They were bulky and anything but suitable for daily use.

Relief came when I came across the “COOL*SAFE” medical cooler bag. This bag not only kept the temperature stable during the flight, but also looked professional and medical. That gave me extra confidence. As did the website, which covers all kinds of problems. Instead of a makeshift solution, I now had something designed exactly for this situation. I could understand the cool-down time and finally felt safe.

This aspect of my trip, which had given me so many headaches in the beginning, became one less worry thanks to “COOL*SAFE”. I invested a lot of time in planning and I’m glad it was worth it. For future holidays – even longer trips – I now know that I no longer have to worry about my medication. I can plan them well in advance and make the necessary arrangements to take them safely. Even dealing with customs and police in the respective countries was smooth, which further reduced my anxieties.

However, not everything was perfect. Unfortunately, I found out that my medication, two packs of Imraldi to be precise, did not fit in the size L bag, at least not in the original packaging. This made using it a bit tricky and made me feel unsure about safety. But eventually I found a solution: I could split the contents of the two packets and put them in the other packets.

Summary: With the right preparation and support from the right sources, I was able to enjoy my semester abroad largely worry-free despite my chronic illness. Even if there were minor problems, I am better equipped for future trips and look forward to exploring the world – without compromising my health.

Best wishes from Finland

Mr R. S.