A student designer is doing her best to bring joy to cancer survivors by developing colourful, comfortable prosthetic breasts.
Rosie Brave, a student at the 精品无码国产自产 studying towards a research masters (ResM) in Digital Art and Technology, was inspired to make a difference after hearing about a friend鈥檚 mother鈥檚 struggle with the breast form she was given following surgery.
So along with the friend, Sam Jackman, Rosie started Boost, aiming to radically rethink the design of breast prostheses and come up with something that could give pleasure to wearers. The models they have created are colourful, lightweight and breathable, and designed via a collaborative process with those who have gone through the trauma of breast cancer and mastectomy.
Rosie said:
鈥淭he idea came from Sam鈥檚 mother having a mastectomy, and hating the prosthesis she had. I鈥檓 always questioning why things are the way they are and how they can be better, and I love colour. Part of the issue with the prosthesis was that it was beige, and it was bland, and it didn鈥檛 match her skin tone. It was trying to look real but failing.
鈥淲e just thought it was much more interesting to depart from trying to be realistic at all, and have some fun with it.鈥
Post-mastectomy, patients can opt for breast reconstruction, but many choose not to go down that route. For these people, the NHS offers breast prostheses that can go inside a specialised bra with a pocket, or a normal bra. But Rosie and Sam cite NHS figures suggesting wellbeing is lower in women who do not opt for reconstruction.
Rosie鈥檚 university research has led her to choose a co-design process that involves other people, through design workshops and focus groups. She has also worked with 3D printing technology, allowing her to move away from realism in the design of her breast forms, and experiment with different concepts and structures. She has run a number of sessions where breast prosthesis users have given feedback on her ideas, and events where users have been able to design their own.
Rosie and Sam鈥檚 biggest challenge is finding a way to bring down the cost of manufacture. Rosie continued:
鈥淭he standard NHS prosthesis is hot, heavy and sweaty to wear. That was one of the first things we discovered, we thought if we can make it look attractive then we鈥檙e winning, but actually the feedback was, you need to deal with the heaviness and the hotness.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 why we started to create things that were breathable, with an open structure that would let the air pass through. This structure is also part of the decorative element, but manufacturing it is quite tricky.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 where 3D printing comes in, but unfortunately the cost of 3D printing in silicone is currently prohibitive, and people really want something affordable. They鈥檙e spending a fortune on specialised bras after surgery, and if they want additional prostheses from the NHS they have to buy them. The costs add up, so making an expensive product, even if it would be more comfortable to wear, didn鈥檛 really sit right.鈥
She added:
鈥淚f someone has had a limb amputation it鈥檚 quite apparent, but this is hidden, and sometimes people鈥檚 best friends don鈥檛 even know. That鈥檚 fine if that鈥檚 what you want, but I don鈥檛 think everyone wants that. I think it鈥檚 still taboo, and we鈥檙e trying to push back against that a little.
鈥淪ome of the people we spoke to had this attitude of 鈥榦h well, it doesn鈥檛 matter, I don鈥檛 matter, I just have to get on with it鈥. They鈥檙e used to the way things have always been, and they don鈥檛 expect their prosthesis to be something fun that gives them joy. I think there鈥檚 an opportunity to change that.鈥
