Cancer survivor sisters release a line of “mastectomy-friendly” swimwear.

The three sisters behind this swimwear brand want every body to be a swimsuit body – including those who have undergone traumatic surgeries as a result of cancer treatment.

“These swimwear are for every woman to help her feel comfortable and confident with who she is,” said Jennifer Anderson, co-founder of Lima Ricki, a swimwear brand based in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Lime Ricki was founded in 2007 by sisters Colette Callister (55), Jennifer Anderson (53) and Nicole Bruderer (50).

“When we finally lived in the same state together again, as adults, we decided we wanted to do something meaningful,” Callister said. “It took me a while to convince my sisters to do it, but they recovered.”

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Lime Ricki released a “mastectomy-friendly” swimwear line called “Flourish and Bloom.” For every suit purchased from the special line, the brand donates a portion of the proceeds to support the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The collection features customizable styles that include removable bra cups for prosthetics and varying bust coverage for those looking to cover up scars from surgery or skin imperfections from radiation.

Inclusivity is at the heart of Lima Ricki and something that is especially personal for the family. Bruderer and Anderson are cancer survivors themselves.

“[Cancer] is something that has affected me throughout my life and now that I have three daughters of my own… It’s something we care a lot about in funding research,” Bruderer said.

Bruderer was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 21, and recently marked the 29th anniversary of her diagnosis this year.

“At the time, we didn’t really think we had a family history … So it seemed like a really big shock,” Bruderer said. – And that is definitely a diagnosis that shakes you up and changes your perspective.

Bruderer said she battled cancer three times in her 20s at ages 21, 26 and 29.

“I’m really thankful that I’m 20 years post breast cancer and I’m healthy and strong, but I’ve had a lot of surgeries,” she added.

Almost two decades later, Anderson was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2012. She said the diagnosis was a shock, but she was grateful to have her sister who set a strong example of what a survivor looks like and gave her hope.

“It’s not a death sentence to be diagnosed with cancer. It’s a journey that we go through in different ways,” said Anderson, who celebrated her 10th year in remission this month. “[Ovarian cancer] significantly increases the risk of breast cancer and therefore I decided to have a prophylactic bilateral mastectomy.”

As a result, Anderson said the swimwear design came from deep empathy.

“The suits are quite connected to what my body has been through and the issues I’m dealing with,” Anderson said. “And then I have a 16-year-old daughter… This journey could continue with her.”

The sisters said their family history was greatly affected by cancer. They attributed this to the inherited BRCA1 gene, which is known to increase the risk of developing breast cancer and several other types of cancer.

“[Cancer] has impacted our family for generations and so it’s really near and dear to our hearts, the journey of cancer, mastectomies, finding clothes that fit an unexpected body change,” said Callister. “We feel privileged to have the opportunity to help this community of very brave , vulnerable and brave women.”

To highlight the strength of survivors’ bodies, Lime Ricki chose four models who have been diagnosed with cancer and are at different points in their own recovery journeys, including one model who had a mastectomy three or four weeks before the shoot. .

“From the very beginning, from the shoot we had with our four breast cancer survivor models, they loved the suits and felt so beautiful and confident in them,” Callister said.

Since launching in early October, the line has received rave reviews from women across the country.

“They just expressed gratitude that they’re so happy that there’s an option or that they can share this with a friend or a family member who’s been through this,” Bruderer said.

The sisters, who now have daughters themselves, emphasized how important it is for all women to feel comfortable in their own skin. They said they are happy that their swimwear can help women do just that.

“Lime Ricki has always been about celebrating women and our bodies and empowering women to go out and make memories,” Bruderer said. “Sometimes we feel pressure from ourselves or society to look a certain way. This line is all about celebrating the diversity of women and our bodies and our shapes and our sizes and our colors.”