THEYA Healthcare - Dublin, Ireland

Founded in 2015 by entrepreneur Ciara Donlon, THEYA Healthcare is a multi-award winning medical device company that designs and manufactures innovative post-surgery garments scientifically proven to soothe and speed up healing. Donlon noticed a gap in the post-surgery lingerie market while running her own successful lingerie retail business in Dublin, as women undergoing treatment for breast cancer would regularly ask her for comfortable, feminine underwear that met their needs. After conducting research with 80 breast cancer survivors and using their feedback to inform the design process, THEYA Healthcare launched their flagship post-surgery range of underwear.

The unique bamboo mix fabric used for their products has been scientifically proven to be 92-97% antibacterial, 59% more  

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absorbent and 19% better at wicking moisture away from the skin than cotton. The design features of the range were tested in a clinical trial across four Dublin teaching hospitals, and the results showed that THEYA Healthcare outperformed competing products in terms of body image, health status and pain. Patients wearing THEYA Healthcare bras during the four week post-surgery recovery phase experienced an 8.5% improvement in body image, a 20% improvement in health status and significant reduction in levels of irritation, wound discomfort and pain.

Since then, Donlon has received numerous awards in recognition of her work, including the prestigious Cartier Women's Initiative Award and being listed as a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year