This is us
Woman'sBack® is the only backpack, specially designed and patented to reduce the risk of lymphedema in women who have overcome breast cancer and encourages them to lead an active life without limitations.
Woman'sBack® is born from the personal experience of Maria Prandi. In 2015 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and that same year she was operated to treat it. The following summer, Maria, who is in love with the mountain, promised herself that she would make a crossing in the Pyrenees. To do this, she needed to carry a backpack. The doctors had warned her that the fact of carrying a backpack could cause lymphedema. She looked for a backpack that would fit her need, but did not found none that would works her personal need, so she decided to design her own backpack.
Lymphedema develops in some patients with breast cancer, since the removal of lymph nodes causes an accumulation of fluid in the arm. Lymphedema is an inflammation that can become chronic, and produces a lot of pain. To avoid this, specialists recommend performing a certain physical activity and avoid supporting weight loads.
What we have done, has been to develop a closure system for a normal backpack, which with only three steps, allows you to carry weight and free the intervened area from any pressure. The adaptation of the system is home made in Barcelona by a woman from the company, Merche. Our backpacks are customized and adapted for each woman, since it depends where it has been operated, a modification is made to the right or left side. The backpacks we use are from Alpina®, our own and Catalan brand, and Montane, an English brand, with whom we have reached an agreement to apply the system since from the beginning it saw a lot of potential in the project.
The Woman'sBack® backpack is not only used for sports, it is also useful for everyday. And, although we tend to think only of women, we know that there is a percentage of breast cancer that affects men. Woman'sBack® is also aimed at them. In addition, we have seen that this system can also help other people, such as people who lack an arm or a person who has a bypass in the heart.
Currently behind Woman'sBack® is a team fully aware and motivated by a single cause; That women who had gone through breast cancer lead an active life. Maria Prandi and Jordi Costa are the Co-Founders of the company. Then there is Merche Fernández, the woman who makes the modifications of the backpacks and that thanks to her we can offer this beautiful product. Finally, there is Lali Costa, responsible for managing the entire Woman'sBack® project.
Today, Woman'sBack® has a clear mission, to help women who have gone through breast cancer to feel free, autonomous and empowered. Did you know that 1 in 8 women will suffer from breast cancer throughout their lives? In addition, it is estimated that among all of them, it is estimated that 25% will develop lymphedema. Breast cancer is a very common disease and luckily, it has a very high improvement. Unfortunately, once the treatment is over, patients face many limitations that affect them on a day-to-day basis. Woman'sBack® solves a real need. It is a product of physical help, but also emotional.