A petition on Change.org is calling on Victoria's Secret (LTD) to create a special line of "Survivor" bras for breast cancer survivors who have undergone mastectomies.
Allana Maiden, who launched the petition drive, tells us that she was just 6 years old when her mother, Debbie Barrett, was treated for breast cancer and underwent a single mastectomy.
"She's never said anything or indicated that she's had self-image issues," Maiden tells us. "But I've seen what a struggle it can be to find a bra that fits."
After a mastectomy, many women wear a prosthetic breast, and special post-mastectomy bras have internal pockets that can fit the prosthesis.
Other retailers sell such bras, but Maiden notes that they're few and far between in the vicinity of her mother's home in rural Virginia, and that the bras she's ordered online don't fit very well.
A line of post-mastectomy bras from Victoria's Secret — Maiden has suggested the moniker "Survivor"— would make a big difference.
As she notes in her petition, Victoria's Secret is known for expert fitting and beautiful designs, both of which she's found lacking in the current selection of post-mastectomy bras. And the retailer's far reach (it boasts more than 1,000 stores) would make such bras more accessible for women in far-flung areas.
We reached out to Victoria's Secret, but they have not yet responded to requests for comment; Maiden likewise says she hasn't heard back from the company. But if the company isn't aware of the petition on the popular grassroots action site, it will be soon: The petition is starting to go viral, growing from 15,000 signatures early Thursday morning to more than 52,000 as of 1 p.m.
While designing and producing a new product doesn't happen overnight, Maiden hopes for her mother's sake that her petition will eventually get the company's attention and ultimately lead to a new offering in their stores.
"After everything else she's been through, buying a bra shouldn't be a huge ordeal," she says.
UPDATE (3:20 p.m.): The petition, which now boasts close to 65,000 signatures, has broken through to Victoria's Secret management. Maiden tells us that she's spoken with a senior vice president at Limited Brands, which owns Victoria's Secret. "I told her about my positive experiences being fitted there and that I want survivors to have that same experience," she says, adding that she explained how post-mastectomy bras typically work.
For now, it sounds like the company will look into the possibility of producing the bras. "She said she was going to share my idea with the right people internally," says Maiden.