Swimwear Designed By Cancer Survivors Is 'Mastectomy-Friendly’ & Body-Positive
By Mikelle Leow, 15 Nov 2022
No, it’s not swimsuit season. This story, however, will warm you right up.
In 2007, sisters Colette Callister, Jennifer Anderson, and Nicole Bruderer launched a swimwear brand called Lime Ricki, with the hope to help women of all shapes and sizes feel comfortable in their own skin. Two of the three sisters have survived cancer, a painful disease that will likely affect one’s relationship with their body.
Bruderer was first diagnosed with breast cancer 29 years ago, when she was just 21 years old; it would come back to bite her repeatedly. Later, she found out that she had inherited the BRCA1 gene, which increases the likelihood of her family members getting cancer. Anderson herself was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 20 years after Bruderer’s first brush with breast cancer; she would also learn that she has the BRCA1 gene.
The sisters have since entered remission. When all three siblings returned to where they grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, they were reminded of their carefree and gleeful days at the beach. It then occurred to them that they wanted to help others who have battled cancer reconnect with the lovely sand and water themselves.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month this year was the time to put pen to paper. In October, Lime Ricki released a new inclusive line called ‘Flourish and Bloom’, which features pieces with “mastectomy-friendly” design details, Good Morning America reports.
The series, comprising a bikini set and a one-piece suit specked in florals, was created “to celebrate strength, joy, and overcoming through every stage of life,” explain the sisters on their website.
Having conquered cancer themselves, Bruderer and Anderson modeled the swimwear after their own bodies. The garments include removable bra cups to make way for prosthetics, as well as shoulder-tie straps so survivors can adjust the desired level of coverage at the chest area to conceal surgical scars or protect their sensitive skin from radiation.
To announce the collection, Lime Ricki cast four survivors of breast cancer to model the pieces. One of the women had gotten her mastectomy just weeks before the shoot.
The resulting photos aren’t airbrushed, as with all of Lime Ricki’s other campaign shots. “[All our models] are just right the way they are… and so are you!” the sisters point out.
The four models fell in love with the swimsuits right away, say the creators. The range has also been well-received by shoppers across the country, with Bruderer commenting that customers are now glad they can share the line with friends and family members who have been affected by cancer.
The sisters don’t consider a cancer diagnosis to be a “death sentence,” but a “journey” of varied experiences.
More than anything, the brand hopes wearers will feel beautiful and confident in the swimwear no matter the conditions their bodies are put through.
Importantly, it has pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from the Flourish and Bloom line to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to accelerate the discovery of breast cancer treatments.
[via InspireMore and Good Morning America, images via Lime Ricki]