I had an incredible weekend. On Saturday, I competed in The Brooklyn Half-Marathon with my beau and a few friends from my triathlon team. I wore The Adrienne Shorts with The Determined Ladies Bra from The Dim Your Headlights Collection, which will be coming out in about a month, and was named in honor of New York Road Runners' Team for Kids. 

After spending the day with friends, I made a mad dash to Philadelphia to exhibit at a very special event on Sunday morning called Yoga on the Steps in front of the Museum of Art, which was organized by Living Beyond Breast Cancer. 

I honestly did not know what to expect. I also had no idea what which bras to bring. After all, when most people think about women and breast cancer, they probably naturally assume that survivors want to cover themselves up. 

Well, au contraire, my beloved BodyRockers. This event was astonishing on many levels. The turnout spanned far beyond LBBC's wildest dreams. Thousands of women attended, many of whom had survived or are currently enduring multiple forms of breast cancer. And of course, my objective in signing up for this event was to market The Empowerment Bras, otherwise known as our mastectomy sports bras. 

Many of the women I met were incredible and EVERY single bra that we sold yesterday was encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Yes, that's right. Even breast cancer survivors love bling. 

This empowered group of women is extremely marginalized, and frankly, there's not a lot of post-operative clothing options. Just like the night that I had the idea for The Empowerment Bras in 2010, yesterday, I spoke to many women of all ages and body types who complained about the lack of mastectomy bra options, reinforicing that the sterile white bras that flood the marketplace are a reminder of their cancer. Many women thanked me for what I am doing and for providing them with beautiful and fun mastectomy bras that will enable them to feel beautiful and normal. 

Naturally, tears came to my eyes throughout the day because I could see the profound impact that I am having on the lives of these women simply by providing them with better options and by taking a genuine interest in their respective stories. 

Rather than focusing on the pejorative effects of breast cancer, I asked many women for an example of something postive that resulted from experiencing breast cancer. I'd like to share three of the answers I received with all of you: 

(1) I have the most beautiful hair I've ever had. Though I am in my mid-50s, guys at the gym compliment my hair all the time and think that I am 10 years younger than I actually am. 

(2) Before I had cancer, I was overweight, had dorky glasses and mousy brown hair. Now, I wear a thong for the first time in my life.

(3) My husband and I have the healthiest and most passionate sex life I've ever had. 

Would you have guessed these answers? Probably not.

The women I met do not feel sorry for themselves. And they don't want you to either. They are empowered. And I'll be damned if I ever make a white or nude mastectomy bra. 

Check out our Empowerment Bras here and please share with survivors who are on the hunt for something beautiful. 

P.S. Our model Natalie is a survivor. She is also a nurse, a wife, and a mother of two. And she is hands down one of the coolest ladies I have ever met.