They say necessity is the mother of invention.

For Union’s Dr. Aurora Fernandez De Castro that could not be more true.

While on her way back from a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, De Castro’s trip was delayed for more than two hours because a large family insisted the plane not leave the ground until the airline promised not to serve peanuts on the flight.

The reason was their son was allergic to peanuts.

Because the boy would need to intake fluids while traveling on the plane, De Castro, founder of Smart Mask Technologies, came up with the Drinkthru Mask, which allows people to consume liquids without having to remove the mask from their face and expose themselves to potential dangers.

Most people are familiar with those who wear masks to protect themselves for allergens.

However, using another type of mask means that a person must remove it from their face in order to take a drink. The Drinkthru Mask has a special opening that allows the intake of liquid while still wearing it, using either a bottle that fits into the opening or through the straw that is provided with the mask.

The Drinkthru Mask provides protection for those traveling on planes, trains, buses or cars. It protects the individual in the workplace, construction areas, factories, polluted cities, hospitals and medical offices.

It also provides protection for those people who need to wear a mask while gardening, doing yard work or even doing sanding around the house, going into the basement or attic where there is a lot of dust and even mold.

Smart Mask Technologies donated masks to Flint where the water crisis has created numerous health issues, including Legionnaires disease, as well as to hurricane victims in Louisiana.

“It is important and we do not talk about them enough,” De Castro said about the diseases related to flooding. “Flooding is the No. 1 disaster in the United States. It is a disaster cleanup issue. Molds and spores are generally in the air after floods. Using a mask is the best way to protect yourself. It is something you to do. It is not a matter of a half an hour. You have to keep yourself protected from the mold and spores for a long period of time.

“So that is the idea. To get the best protective, or preventive if you wish — mask that there is for long periods of exposure.”

The CDC recommends using an N95 mask during clean ups after flooding to help combat mold spores. The Drinkthru Mask can also be used during clean up for earthquakes, tornadoes and in fire smoke areas where airborne allergens are numerous.

The Drinkthru Mask is more than just protection during disasters. It also has practical everyday use for those who have compromised immune systems or allergies.

“It is good to use in any unfriendly environment,” De Castro said. “Even for the dust from all these pesticides that are not very good for us. You have to protect yourself.”

The Drinkthru Mask helps protect against:

• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Whooping cough
• Hantavirus
• Scarlet fever
• Chicken pox
• Meningitis
• Mold
• Coughs
• Flu
• Bacteria
• Pneumonia
• Diphtheria
• Measles
• Mumps
• Anthrax
• Fungus
• Cold

Using a Drinkthru Mask is simple. The individual places it on their face and positions it just like any other mask with one strap going above the ear and the other around the other around their neck.

There is a nose clip that can be pinched to hold the mask to the wearer’s nose. The straps may be adjusted to secure the mask to the face.

When fluids are needed, the wearer simply exhales before opening the cap to insert the straw, consumes the fluids and then exhales when closing the opening.

The masks are meant for a one-time extended use and are disposable. Each mask should not be opened more than eight times.

De Castro is an inventor with more than 20 patents to her credit. She was previously the founder and CEO of GDS Technology in Elkhart, Indiana, vice president of Photec in Montclair, New Jersey and manager in the Ames Division of Miles Laboratories in Elkhart.

All are medial diagnostic companies.