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In this episode, Jordan talks with Nikki Speer of "Redefined Courage". They are a non-profit organization committed to gifting "HOPE", which is a post-operative shirt for women undergoing breast surgery. The idea to create this garment came to Nikki after a promise she made to her mother who had undergone 3 surgeries for breast cancer. Nikki recognized the limitations an individual has after this type of surgery and began designing a shirt that would be beautiful, comfortable, and functional. To date, they have been able to gift over 500 shirts to women worldwide.
Redefined Courage is a non-profit based out of Wake Forest, North Carolina but serves women nationwide, and they gift their "HOPE" shirt, a post-op shirt to women undergoing breast cancer surgery. After seeing her mother's battle with breast cancer, Nikki promised her, "Mom, I will design clothing for you." Nikki was 35 at the time, but knew it would be her life's calling. She drew a shirt on a sticky note on her way home and called her husband from the airport to say, "I know what I'm supposed to with the rest of my life."
Nikki started immersing herself researching, to create what is now Redefined Courage's post-op shirt.
After a huge fight against her cancer, ultimately Nikki's mother received the news that the cancer had returned. Nikki made the promise to her mother in October, and her mom passed away on December 5th. While her mom did not directly get to see the HOPE shirts, one woman who received the shirt told Nikki, "It feels like your mom is hugging me every time I put this on."
Nikki notes that the reality is that hard things happen, but it matters what we do with these hard things. While her mother's passing hit her hard, she knew the huge dream she had was going to make something that was practical for drain vaults and for bigger arms or stomachs as a result of the surgery.
When it comes to the details of the promise, Nikki recalls Facetiming with her mom and family and receiving the news that they'd made a decision: no more chemotherapy. No more treatment. It was chemotherapy, then an infection, and a cycle that didn't seem to end. Her mother, a vivacious woman, wanted to live free of this cycle.
Around this time, Nikki was supposed to be starting a new job, but her husband said she should fly home. With her mother's love of fashion and getting dressed, they ended up at a mall in Syracuse and Nikki recounts hearing her mother's disappointment from the dressing room, "This is just terrible." They walked out of the mall and Nikki turned to her and said, "Mom, I'm going to design clothing for you." She replied, "I believe it."
Nikki laughs at that first sketch she drew on the way home, but it was her own personal experiences and history that shaped the HOPE shirts. With the family history, she herself had a preventative double mastectomy, so she understood what it felt like to come home with drains handing from the compression bra, and feeling pain - physically and emotionally.
As for making this all a reality, Nikki says she didn't quit her day job, but she never geet up on the dream or the details. Family and friends helped push her forward and Redefined Courage now has incredible volunteers.
For the name, Redefined Courage, Nikki says she knows women needed hope. She designed 7 or 8 pieces of clothing initially, named after women she loved. But then she realized she wanted women to feel something when they put the shirt on. So HOPE stuck. Nikki said, "When something wraps you in HOPE, you can go on."
As for the details of the shirt, it's cotton and easily machine washable, there are accommodations for fluid drains and drain pockets, is soft yet sturdy, and is a button-up - because it is hard to raise your arms after this surgery. They're vibrant colors, they're pink, bright blue, and a gray, and the sleeves are wider to accommodate any lymphodema. And, it's a high-low design, so that it is customizable to each woman's preferences on coverage.
The shirts were originally manufactured in North Carolina, though eventually the demand of what they needed grew and they partnered with a man in New York City, who sadly lost his mom, sister, and wife to breast cancer. He and his sister have a factory in China, so currently they are manufactured overseas, though Nikki notes that she has talked to many manufacturers and individuals to be able to keep up with demand here in the United States while being mindful of costs.
As for who receives the shirts, it is basically a request basis, and most women either message them on social media or fill out a request form on their website. The shirts are at no cost to the strong women during their battles beyond a shipping charge, but the Redefined Courage team asks each recipient if they're willing to share their story to help with the non-profit's fundraising and overall mission. Recipients will sometimes also start a Facebook fundraiser to help raise money and spread awareness. Nikki says, when they ask women about where they heard about them, a common answer is "Breast Cancer Awareness Facebook Groups."
A big goal for Nikki is to ultimately partner with bigger cancer centers and hospitals, though they are very open to working with and partnering with small businesses, something they have found success with while working to spread their mission.
Nationwide and around the world, over 500 women have worn this shirt.
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