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When lymphedema sufferers at Princess Margaret Hospital's (PMH) Breast Cancer Survivorship Program reported the difficulties the swelling of their arms and increased risk of infection posed when donning clothing and accessories, the Hospital recruited Ryerson University researchers to engineer a solution.

Sandra Tullio-Pow and Sue Barnwell, Professors in Ryerson's School of Fashion, collaborated with Dr. Joyce Nyhof-Young at PMH in a multi-phase research project to address the special apparel needs of the 10 to 30 per cent of breast cancer survivors affected by this chronic condition. Largely conducted through focus groups drawn from the Survivorship Program, the research identified their specific needs and field-tested the resulting designs.

"We were surprised at how challenging basic apparel was for lymphedema patients-how limited their manual dexterity was," said Tullio-Pow, whose background is in functional apparel design. "They told us that they can't fasten a button, or easily detach Velcro and they worry about a metal zipper scratching their skin and causing infection. Once we knew what they needed, the solutions were fairly easy to generate."

Focusing on style, comfort and performance, the team designed an innovative purse for these women. A modular bag, with a hidden built-in sling for arm comfort, the purse features a wide adjustable strap for even weight distribution at the shoulder, long easy to grasp zipper tabs, and lobster claw hardware to attach the modules. Perfect for hands-free carrying, the modules also attach to a body-contoured belt. The design supports versatile styling flexibility, opening the door to various material fabrication and colour combinations. 

"The really rewarding aspect of this research is that these women who told us that they wanted a fashionable bag to carry, not a medical device, are suddenly having people come up and ask them where they can buy a purse like theirs," said Barnwell.

While the bag is now the focus of Tullio-Pow and Barnwell's ongoing research and market field trial, during the original needs analysis the duo did create a full clothing line for the group (four tops, a pant, a jacket, a blouse, and a cape). The designs incorporated deep arm holes and wide sleeves into fashionable designs to camouflage the asymmetry in the arms. Their greatest innovation was using magnets for closures.

The next step is to test market the customized bag to a broader group. A limited number of bags will be available for purchase online beginning in mid-October. Consumers will be encouraged to share their feedback with the researchers. Ryerson University is currently seeking industry partners to collaborate in the production and distribution of Tullio-Pow and Barnwell's designs.

Tullio-Pow and Barnwell's research Lymphedema Lines: Clothing and Accessories for Female Breast Cancer Patients at Princess Margaret Hospital, won top prize at the 2006 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Education. A follow-up paper entitled I Can't Find a Thing to Wear: Designing Innovative Functional Apparel and Accessories for Female Breast Cancer Survivors with Lymphedema, was accepted by the Canadian Association of Radiation Oncologists for their Annual General Meeting. Largely funded through Ryerson University, this research also received funding through the Princess Margaret Weekend to End Breast Cancer, and an Ontario Partnership in Innovation Commercialization (OPIC) grant.

 
Read more research news at:
http://www.ryerson.ca/research/index.html

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