The First Bra Foundation—a charitable initiative from local entrepreneur Terry Levine—has just celebrated its first anniversary.
The nonprofit provides a free high-quality bra, along with a personalized fitting, to women who have survived breast cancer. In the past 12 months, the First Bra Foundation has helped more than 300 women.
Levine is the founder of clair de lune, a lingerie boutique with locations in Overland Park and St. Louis. The idea for the First Bra Foundation grew out of her experiences serving survivors of breast cancer.
“In most instances, she came into the store without good direction about the sort of bra she needed after surgery and recovery,” Levine said. “And in so many cases, she was still recovering emotionally, even if she had completed and physically recovered from her reconstruction.”
“For many women, buying a bra is a challenging moment. But throw in getting used to a new body, then the experience can become even more daunting.”
To request a free bra, a breast cancer survivor can fill out a form on the First Bra Foundation’s website. The nonprofit also has partnerships with several hospitals—St. Luke’s East, KU Cancer Center, Menorah Medical Center and St. Louis’ Mercy Health Centers—and staff there will provide request forms to patients.
There is no time limit for the free-bra voucher.
“Every woman’s breast cancer journey is different,” Levine said. “There is no predetermined window when she should be fitted for her new bra. For some, it’s a few weeks after her surgery or treatment. For others, it could be years. We can’t prejudge, so we made it that First Bra had no expiration.”
How to Get Involved
Want to learn more about the First Bra Foundation? Levine and husband-business partner Clair Keizer will be taking part in different events for October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They’ll be at the Oct. 6 Pink Party at Menorah Medical Center.
The First Bra Foundation wants to build more partnerships with hospitals and other retailers in Kansas City and across the country. They’re also looking to raise funds to support the foundation’s growth.
“The community has been very generous in embracing First Bra and in its financial support,” Keizer said. “But as the program grows, our need for financial support grows as well. We welcome any and all donations in support of our efforts.”
