Our Story
Fay, Tim and Family
How one grumpy lump brought us myReflection prosthesis.
Fay Cobbett - Same smile. Less hair.
For myReflection director Tim Carr – embarking on developing 3D printed breast prosthesis was entirely personal – and life-changing for both he and his partner Fay Cobbett – who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.
Fay found herself frustrated and disheartened with uncomfortable generic silicone bra inserts. The silicone prosthesis would shift and look unrealistic. And giving hugs – a simple, yet hugely important part of life – basically resulted in lumpy, hard rocks digging into the unlucky recipient.
Most importantly, and most heart-breakingly for Tim, Fay felt she had lost her sense of self.
Jase Barnett - 3D printing expert and chief R&D Engineer for myReflection.
Tim – armed with a vast knowledge of 3D printing, and a desperate desire to help his partner feel whole again – embarked on a personal mission that would later become the blueprint for myReflection.
He believed he could find a way to make something for her that would be comfortable, mould to her post-mastectomy chest wall and replicate her previous shape - avoiding the need for more surgery. He teamed up with 3D print expert, Jase Barnett and the pair started developing the prosthesis.
Jase’s tenacity and wide knowledge proved essential to the challenge. They tested iteration after iteration until they had something that was affordable but also highly functional, and vastly superior to what was previously available.
The concept spent two years in research and development where they experimented with and eventually settled on materials that would offer a phenomenal experience for myReflection customers.
The prosthesis is crafted from a fluid like, flexible inner core which is coated in a hard-wearing but very soft, ISO certified silicone outer with a method that seems to defy physics.
It’s comfortable, natural-feeling and - because myReflection protheses are custom fitted to each woman’s unique shape - less prone to dislodgement or gaping.
Officially launched in February, 2019 – the myReflection team continues to research and improve the scanning and production process to ensure the best product is available to its recipients.
Women opting for a myReflections breast prosthesis will need to be scanned to create a 3D map of their torso, this happens after their mastectomy surgery and once they are fully healed.
The chest is scanned and either the remaining breast is used to inform the shape and size or the scanning consultant will craft a shape and size of your choice using a range of bra inserts. They will assist with symmetry, shape and size to find the look that reflects the you that you know.
The chest wall also needs to be scanned to create the back of the prosthesis which contours onto the woman’s chest and mirrors any bumps and lumps, sitting in place without pressure on delicate scar tissue.
Fay Cobbett - The inspiration for making breast prosthesis better
The road to success was not without its hurdles. Equipment and new methods needed to be designed and tested to handle the complicated processes. myReflection believe the technologies used to create the prostheses have never been combined in this way before.
A considerable amount of the time was also spent making the ground-breaking product affordable. Tim didn’t see the point in creating a high-end prosthesis that would be priced so only the elite could afford. He was determined to ensure that his product would be available to anyone that needed it.
New Zealand citizens who have had a mastectomy are provided a four-yearly subsidy to cover the costs of prosthesis and custom bras, and Tim and Jase designed a product to fit within this budget.
“The whole point was to help women, so that meant we needed to find way to get the production cost down so it could be covered by the government breast prosthesis service payment subsidy,” says Tim.
And the end result of the research, trials and adaptations? It’s a truly remarkable product.
Scanning is a quick process where harmless light is used to create a 3D map. From this map the prosthesis can be created.
February 15th 2019 was the official launch of myReflection. “It has been such a personal journey for us.” said Tim.
“We are really excited to be able to share this product with other women who are going through, or have been through, what we have. If we can improve the quality of life of women who have been through the hell of breast cancer and help to restore their self image, then it is all worth it.”
And for Fay – the inspiration behind the myRelection prosthesis?
She’s herself again.
“It doesn’t move, it doesn’t hurt, it is now a part of me and I am not even aware of it being there.” “I look like I did before, and the best part is that it can change with me, as I age I can be rescanned and it can be remade to match my changed shape so I will still be symmetrical.”
Tim Carr and Fay Cobbett and their two girls