TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Dr. Heather Domingues
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Redefining Mobility, Dignity, and Independence

 

For Dr. Heather Domingues, mobility has always been more than movement—it’s freedom, confidence, and quality of life. As a physical therapist with years of experience working in hospitals, rehab centers, clinics, and home settings, she witnessed firsthand how immobility affects every aspect of a person’s wellbeing. Those experiences inspired her life’s mission: to help individuals of all ages reclaim independence and live more vibrant lives.

 

Today, as the inventor and CEO of FeedUp™ Solution, a New Jersey–based medical device company, Dr. Domingues is transforming the world of enteral nutrition. What began as a therapist’s frustration with clunky feeding setups has evolved into a patented, FDA-registered device that is revolutionizing how tube-fed patients live, move, and heal.

 

The Moment That Sparked Innovation

 

The idea for FeedUp™ was born in the therapy gym at Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Jersey, where Dr. Heather Domingues worked with patients recovering from brain injuries. While collaborating with the dedicated team there, she encountered a challenge faced across hospitals everywhere: therapists and nurses trying to help patients move while managing the only equipment available—traditional tubes, pumps, and IV poles not designed for mobility. “We were all trying to walk with patients and support their recovery, but the equipment made it incredibly difficult,” she recalls. “The pumps would beep, the tubes would pull, and the focus shifted from the patient to managing all the gear.”

 

After searching for a solution and finding none, Dr. Domingues made a bold decision: if the right device didn’t exist, she would create it. Of the nine years that followed, three were spent in intensive research and development before the FeedUp™ Feeding Solution became a reality.

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When the device officially launched in May 2025, it quickly found its first customers—including the very place where its story began. Dr. Domingues, who has since partnered with Children’s Specialized Hospital, was able to bring FeedUp™ back to the clinicians who inspired its creation. One staff member exclaimed , “We’re so excited to be able to work with you again!” Now the team is helping Heather share FeedUp™ with the patients who need it most.

 

How FeedUp™ Works

 

FeedUp™ is an FDA-registered, Class I medical device designed to keep feeding tubes upright, reducing bubbles, kinks, and interruptions. Compact, lightweight, and fully portable, it fits neatly into a custom backpack—eliminating the need for IV poles or cumbersome setups. Available in three models (Infinity Moog, Kangaroo Joey, and Kangaroo Omni), FeedUp™ ensures consistent feeding and easy mobility wherever life takes the user.

 

By integrating thoughtful design with functional simplicity, the device supports the comfort and independence of millions who rely on enteral nutrition. Whether at home, on vacation, or in clinical care, FeedUp™ gives patients—and their caregivers—the freedom to move safely and confidently.

 

A Win for Patients, Caregivers, and Clinicians

 

Dr. Domingues’s creation doesn’t just simplify feeding—it reimagines care delivery for everyone involved. “With the old setups, transferring or walking a patient meant stopping everything, untangling tubes, or dragging an IV pole,” she explains. “Now, all you do is attach the FeedUp™ device to a wheelchair or walker, and it goes wherever the patient goes.” This portability improves efficiency for caregivers and clinicians, who can now focus on recovery rather than logistics. The benefits extend to patient outcomes as well. Continuous, uninterrupted feeding ensures better nutrition—essential for healing—while the ability to mobilize sooner accelerates physical recovery. “We’re hitting on three critical areas,” says Dr. Domingues. “Nutrition, mobility, and safety. The quicker someone gets moving, the quicker their body heals.”

 

Toward a New Standard of Care

 

Dr. Domingues envisions a future where every enteral nutrition prescription automatically includes a FeedUp™ device. “When a patient is prescribed a feeding pump, the next step should be, ‘Here’s your FeedUp™ device and backpack—this is how you’ll stay mobile,’” she says. “You’ll be able to go out, socialize, travel, and live your life without renting an IV pole or taping bags to walls.”

 

Her conviction is clear: “This isn’t 1912. You don’t need to send patients home with IV poles anymore. Keep those in the warehouse and give them something versatile, safe, and modern.” For Dr. Domingues, redefining “normal” for feeding-tube users means giving them tools that foster independence and dignity—the same considerations given to patients who need crutches or wheelchairs.

 

Beyond Functionality: Design for Life

 

FeedUp™ devices are housed in durable, full-size backpacks designed in partnership with Feeldom, a company known for adaptive gear. These backpacks fit the entire device while leaving room for personal items, blending practicality with discretion. “Right now, our backpacks come in black, but we’re expanding to colors and prints, even custom designs with cartoon characters for kids,” says Dr. Domingues. “It’s about personalizing the experience—making medical care feel less clinical and more empowering. Each feature is intentional. The goal is to make feeding on the go feel effortless and natural, not restrictive or stigmatizing.”

 

Compassion in Action

 

While FeedUp™ continues gaining traction in hospitals and clinics nationwide, Dr. Domingues’s vision extends far beyond commercialization. Aware that not all patients can afford medical devices out-of-pocket, she launched a donation fund to expand access. “We’re working through the process to get insurance coverage,” she explains, “but in the meantime, we started a PayPal fund so anyone can donate toward providing devices to those in need.”

 

Thanks to early donations, several units have already been shipped free of charge to patients across the country. Supporters can contribute any amount or purchase and donate a full device directly through this link: https://lnkd.in/gHefy9dN .

 

The Future of Feeding

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Dr. Heather Domingues’s story embodies what happens when empathy meets innovation. What began as a simple desire to help her patients move more freely has become a global step forward in patient care. FeedUp™ isn’t just a device—it’s a symbol of possibility for millions of people who rely on enteral feeding.

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Dr. Heather Domingues
Inventor and CEO
FeedUp™ Solution
Website: https://www.feedupsolution.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-domingues-3694747a/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/feedup_solution