Breaking taboos and taking charge: from precancerous cells to tits up buttercup

Breast cancer has always been a taboo word in my family. My mom had a double mastectomy at the age 34 and my grandmother passed away at the age of 32 from breast cancer. I've tried to stay ahead of the diagnosis by following doctors' recommendations, but life and the cost of the recommended imaging caught up to me and I stopped taking the preventative measures.

I returned to the doctors and restarted my imaging journey in December 2022, and I was immediately recalled due to 3 masses that were found in my left breast. After months of painstaking imaging and anxiety ridden days and nights, the results came back as having precancerous cells found. My options were either resuming imaging every 6 months until the masses become cancerous or undergo a prophylactic double mastectomy. All I could think was "I'm 34 years old and too young to have to make this decision." But I did, and I chose to stick a middle finger to cancer and the statistics I was given and get a double mastectomy.

While doing research, I realized there's limited to no services available for women choosing preventative care or even financial support for women taking this journey. Tits Up Buttercup is here to change that. We're here to open up the conversation about taking preventative measures against breast cancer and to increase awareness that breast cancer is on the rise in young adults. The best way to do that is through talking about it and designing a portfolio of wearable designs to create those conversations. (no hate on THE organization for breast cancer research) I'm not a pink girl...I wanted to make a brand that I felt good in AND had a positive impact. Tits up Buttercup is not just a breast cancer awareness brand its a mindset. You are a force to be reckoned with. You're brave, strong, and you can take on ANYTHING that life throws at you. Now, GET THOSE TITS UP!