What I Wish I Had During My Breast Cancer Journey

I come from a long line of women affected by breast cancer. My grandmother, all of her four sisters and my mother were all diagnosed with breast cancer. I was diagnosed at 40 years old with a very aggressive, triple-negative tumor. The recommendation was to have both breasts removed and undergo a double mastectomy surgery with immediate reconstruction.

In a perfect situation, the surgery would be successful, and hopes would be high that I could kiss that chapter of my life goodbye. Unfortunately, that was not the case. The initial reconstruction failed and I went through an additional 5 surgeries. After each attempt, I was met with a litany of embarrassing, painful uncomfortable situations.

Physical recovery was hard, waking up to drains coming out from under my armpits, a lot of pain and huge scars, limited mobility, and bloodstains on my bra. For many women, the harder recovery is the mental one, leaving psychological trauma and scars. Women wake up from surgery covered with dressings improvised from all kinds of different bandages and tape to hold the pads and gauze to their chest. We wear reusable post-op compression bras and straps to keep the implants from moving around, plus a layer to hold the drainage tubes. Layer over layer to hold everything in place and not a single one of them is designed specifically for breasts.

The situation did not improve once I was home. The reusable bras got stained with blood and continuously washing them was disgusting and humiliating every single time. It was impossible to lift my arms and taking my bra on and off was a two-person job. Nobody should have to be that dependent on another person for something as intimate as putting on a bra. I was lucky in that my mother was available to help, but not every woman has their mother, sister or best friend to help them. Some women go home after surgery and are alone, left to deal with post-op struggles by themselves.

After my surgery, I aimed to create a solution to this problem. Years of in-depth research, R&D developments, intense QA were all a part of the equation. Finally, I was ready to launch EZbra, the first-ever sterile, disposable, feminine post-op bra that is designed to meet patients’ physical and emotional needs for a dignified recovery experience.

Our adjustable and innovative design fits diverse breast shapes and sizes, with separate adjustable straps for each side to ensure support and comfort in asymmetric shapes. Compression levels can be adjusted according to the surgeon’s preferences, eliminating the need for additional compression devices. The straps stabilize the implants and are designed to replace the bandeau used today.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is around the corner. There is no question that awareness is important. Thanks to advocacy and campaigns, women everywhere are getting checked, and early detection saves lives. This October, we want to do more than raise awareness; we want to make a real change in the lives of patients and hopefully help make their recovery journey a little better. Anyone who wants to help can visit the EZbra website, choose breast cancer organization they support, and purchase EZbras. We will send those EZbras to the organization as well as a donation of 10% of the price of each unit ($30).

The ground is moving, and it can no longer be ignored. I invite everyone to be a part of this revolution and help millions of women around the world. 

Efrat Roman, CEO and Founder EZbra