As if dealing with a cancer diagnosis and surgery isn't hard enough, women recovering from mastectomies are often confronted with not being able to shower for weeks following their procedures — until now. Breast cancer survivor Lisa Crites recently won second place in Microsoft's InnovateHER challenge with her "Shower Shirt" for mastectomy patients, which is the first item on the market to fill this crucial void. Crites' device is made of waterproof parachute material fitted with microfiber on the inside of the neck with elastic sleeves and velcro down the front. The unique design prevents water from entering the surgery site and causing infections, and even includes inside pouches to support the drains that most women have following their procedures. As a bonus, it also doubles as a cute jacket you can actually wear out, too.
The Shower Shirt can currently be found at Walmart, Amazon, and dozens of independent distributors. Crites's innovative design has already helped thousands of women return to their normal lives after undergoing a mastectomy, and the $10,000 awarded to Crites from her recent win will no doubt bring her invention even more well-deserved acclaim. There may be no way to lessen the number of women who face breast cancer every year, but at least there's one small way to lessen the stress of the recovery process.
Images: The Shower Shirt
