As we focus on our continued partnership with Susan G. Komen® and our donation of 20% of all orders placed during November on heartandcore.com to their organization, we share their statistics that are both hopeful and heartbreaking. Statistics like these remind us that that battle against breast cancer is moving forward but also that there is still work to be done:
- Komen's nearly $1.1 billion breast cancer research investment has made access to care easier for all people through policy and advocacy and direct patient support programs.
- Komen played a role in the development of all 19 breast cancer drugs approved by the FDA in the last 12 years.
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In 2024, it’s estimated among women in the U.S. there will be:
- 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer (This includes new cases of primary breast cancer, but not breast cancer recurrences.)
- 56,500 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive breast cancer
- 42,250 breast cancer deaths
- In the U.S., every 12 minutes someone loses their life to breast cancer.
Along with the numbers, Komen’s words shine a light on the importance of community: "Ending breast cancer needs all of us." Those words “all of us” ring true in so many ways. It’s everyone around us that remind us of the reality of the physical and financial struggles when battling cancer, the fact that everyone—patients and caregivers—need support and the challenges of growing a small surgical bra business with the goal of helping those who are recovering from breast cancer surgery or treatment. It’s the reminder we get when we look at the statistics and how we can play a part in helping women, to deliver comfort when they are experiencing and managing so much discomfort.
While our mom passed away from breast cancer, her memory and inspiration are what continue to drive us. She was an incredible mom. Patient, kind, loving and selfless. But her giving spirit went beyond her family. She dedicated her life to helping others. As a social worker, her caring and compassionate personality made her stand out amongst coworkers and clients. Her entire career encompassed serving different groups of people, in every capacity from being out in the field, to leading a team and managing programs, to assisting the people running them and benefitting from them.
Just one example of her true love for helping others was on a Thanksgiving many years ago, when we were just kids. She invited a client to our family dinner, knowing he had no family of his own to spend the day. Being young, we knew the invitation was important, as she explained his situation, but it’s only years later that we realize how much she cared about each person whose path she crossed. For her, the work was personal, and the compassion was genuine. She took pride in her work, aspiring to do more and even volunteer outside of a career dedicated to others. It was just who she was.
It's that devotion to others and willingness to work hard, adapt and power through the hardest situations that stuck with us, it's what inspired us to create a post-surgical bra company that serves women, to keep building it during tough times and to keep changing as necessary to develop and enhance our products to address real needs. This has required nonstop learning, a sense of humor and amazing people around us, much like our mom’s journey through life.
The last Thanksgiving we celebrated with our mom was one that stands out. She was uncomfortable, yet staying so positive even when struggling with some side effects. She was smiling, making jokes and hopeful for what was to come. We knew the cancer had spread, but we instead focused on the time together and plans for the future. We had already launched heart&core with her needs helping to develop our first bra, a wireless and supportive sports bra for larger-chested women (not many existed at this time!), and she was so encouraging and committed to her own wellness journey as she worked to maintain her strength.
In life, we all face different battles in every aspect, from health to happiness and work and relationships. Our role model showed us that looking ahead was incredibly valuable, that working hard was fulfilling and that learning was to be enjoyed. Sure, she had her hard times, her fears, her frustrations, but her authentic love for life, for people and for giving back are the memories that we hold close to our hearts.
This month, as always, we’re thankful we had an amazing mom. We’re thankful that our family can come together and honor her memory. We’re thankful for the people and partners who support us as we work to add to our collection of surgical bras, compression bras and mastectomy bras, making them more accessible to women through different channels, as well as making sure our Larissa and Serena Bras are eligible for insurance coverage and that all of our bras are FSA and HSA approved. We’re thankful for ongoing research and support from organizations like Komen. It’s our desire to celebrate our mom that inspires us to pay it forward and donate money to Komen’s mission to "save lives by meeting the most critical needs in our communities and investing in breakthrough research to prevent and cure breast cancer."
When you take time to come together with family or friends this month, what are you thankful for? Who comes to mind as a powerful person in your life? As you think about the people who have supported you on your journey in life, we encourage you to take inspiration from that “village” of people, to give back in ways that are meaningful to you and to celebrate and remember those whose inspiration stays with you, whether they are with you in person or in memory.
We wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and thank you, as always, for your support as we work to support you.