Leah Wyrick
Three Strands Recovery Wear – SEED Fall 2023 and MICRO Fall 2021
Published March 13, 2024
As part of our ‘Meet Our Founders’ series, today we introduce Leah Wyrick, Founder and CEO of Three Strands Recovery Wear based in Winston-Salem, NC. Three Strands Recovery Wear is dedicated to enhancing the healing journey of post-surgical patients through its revolutionary product, the Resilience Bra, and additional recovery wear garments. Three Strands’ mission is to positively impact every patient’s recovery, offering exceptional comfort and support through its recovery garments and community platform.
Q: What problem are you trying to solve and what influenced you to start your company?
A: In 2016, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her cancer was treated with a mastectomy that resulted in three subsequent surgeries due to complications. During my mother’s recovery, I saw first-hand the complications she endured and became inspired to help others that may have a similar experience due to the lack of advancements in today’s surgical bras. I teamed up with Dr. Samuel Roy, a plastic surgeon in Salisbury, North Carolina, to create the Resilience Bra, a patent-pending, post-operative bra for mastectomies, breast reconstruction, and other breast-related surgeries. The Resilience Bra includes multiple unique features targeted to reduce the risk of complications, reduce recovery time after surgery, provide greater comfort to patients, and promote confidence in patients with unique and colorful bra patterns.
Q: How will your NC IDEA grant funds advance your company?
A: For the past four years, I’ve been a full-time college student and a business owner, bootstrapping our expenses through pitch competitions and grants. The NC IDEA SEED grant marks a pivotal milestone, enabling us to acquire 3,000 units of our product for the official launch of the Resilience Bra in 2024. Through strategic partnerships with the American Cancer Society and 10 North Carolina hospitals and mastectomy boutiques, we begin on our journey to positively impact millions of breast surgical patients worldwide.
While visiting Winston-Salem, Leah recommends:
- Take a walk around Wake Forest University’s campus. Eat at Cugino Forno for some great pizza and Taco Mama for some incredible Mexican food!
Support Three Strands Recovery Wear and Leah by:
- We are so lucky to be surrounded by such a supportive entrepreneurial community here in North Carolina. Thanks to the support of so many within our community we have made incredible strides with Three Strands Recovery Wear. To continue this journey, we invite you to connect us with oncology and plastic surgeons in hospitals and private practices. Additionally, facilitating introductions to cancer organizations and mastectomy boutiques would greatly contribute to our cause. If you are a current or former breast cancer or breast cosmetic surgery patient, we warmly encourage you to join our ambassador program. Your participation not only supports our business but also has the potential to positively impact the lives of millions of women navigating challenging breast surgeries. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the post-surgical recovery experience for individuals across the globe.
