For two decades, Helen Masters has worked across the lingerie world, running Pudding Lingerie, a consultancy that started as a UK retail business twelve years ago before evolving into its current form. Her focus has always been on helping women find that perfect-fitting bra, but she noticed one group was being left behind: women recovering from breast cancer.
These women face scarring, pain, limited mobility, lymphedema, and often find themselves in stores that feel cold and clinical at a moment when they need to feel beautiful again. In October 2024, Masters launched Better Bras After Breast Cancer to address this gap.
The initiative includes the Better Bras Training Academy, created with Cancer Research UK, which certifies bra fitters and gives them a CRUK endorsement. It also offers free advice, a guide, and real-woman product reviews. In under two years, more than 400 women have been helped directly, and nearly 700 people now follow the campaign on social media. Retailers like Bravissimo have opened their doors to training, and brands including Anita, Megami, Royce, AnaOno, Amoena, Evenly, Panache, Curvy Kate, and Unobra have supported the cause. Ten percent of training profits go back to Cancer Research UK.
Masters is honest that funding limits growth, but she has a partner in Australia and is seeking collaborators in the US, Canada, and Italy, with demand expected in India, Africa, and the UAE, where Nanaya Lingerie is already a qualified store. Her message to the industry is simple: adding a pocket to an existing style, stocking a more affordable post-surgery option, or sending one fitter for training can make a difference. As she puts it, change can come "one bra at a time."
Originally reported by LingerieBriefs