African-American women have higher rates of breast cancer than those of other ethnic groups in the United States. In 2018, Black women received diagnoses of 26.3 per 100,000 women, compared to 22.8 per 100,000 for white women, according to the National Cancer Institute.
When women have breast cancer surgery, survivors often can’t find comfortable bras. Jasmine Jones hopes to change that with her Myya line of bras for breast cancer survivors.
“After raising more than $1.25 million in venture-capital funding for Myya, my goal is for these designs to empower cancer survivors, and inspire Black female founders to follow their dreams.The greatest benefit in starting Myya as a Black woman and business owner is that I have a very fresh perspective on an antiquated industry that has typically overlooked a large demographic of women. These women have emotional ties around these necessary purchases, and it brings me joy to solve challenges that haven’t yet been addressed,” Jones told Finurah.
Myya: A Tribute to Jasmine Jones’ Grandmother
Motivated after her grandmother battled breast cancer, Jones launched the Myya website and store as part of her Cherry Blossom boutique in October. Although her grandmother has since passed away, Jones remembers how besides having to deal with her health crisis, the older woman struggled to find bras that could fit her post-cancer form and match her skin tone.
“After watching my grandmother go through breast cancer, I had a first-hand look at how women going through the recovery process were limited to poorly-made prosthetics, ill-fitting bras, only given choices between two skin tones, or allocated to a terrible ‘shopping’ experience in a sterile medical supply store next to bedpans and adult diapers,” Jones told Finurah. “I knew these strong women deserved better choices and a more thoughtful experience coming out of their treatment.”
Read more about Myya’s success here.
More news from our partners:
Enes Kanter Blasts Michael Jordan, Saying The GOAT ‘Has Not Done Anything’ For The Black Community
