A 7-year-old’s broken arm provided the inspiration for a Stamford mother to start her own business.

Six years ago, the cast on Maddie Maxfield’s wrist was making her miserable. Her mother, Rose Tracy, the inventor of the Castaway Crew, says she saw a need for a soft exterior for hard casts.

“I would wrap her arm with fleece blankets and position stuffed animals around her arm and then suddenly, she would sleep soundly,” says Tracy.

As her designs evolved, she came up with a sleeve for casts that feature different stuffed animals.

Along with hospital gift shops, the Castaway Crew is available on Amazon and castawaycrew.com.