When Efrat Roman was diagnosed with breast cancer six years ago she found it difficult to find time and resources to shop for everything she’d need in her fight.
She looked everywhere from “regular” bra shops to small websites, which proved to be inefficient. The search took up her precious time and energy, Roman said.
“I just wanted to feel like a woman,” she explained. “I wanted to keep my own lifestyle. I wanted to dress how I wanted to.”
After beating breast cancer, in 2013 Roman founded CureDiva, a website devoted to providing fashion-forward products, lifestyle tips, and a strong support system for women battling the illness.
Breast cancer victims need products like headscarves, comfortable shirts, special bras, and hospital gowns. Roman said they can also benefit from an online forum from where they can share experiences and advice.
CureDiva allows women to choose what stage of breast cancer they have, from “Just Diagnosed” to “Ever After,” and offers them apparel, accessories and other products specific to their treatment.
Women can also interact with each other through its Diva Lounge and Guardian Divas features.
“When a woman is going to go through surgery, she doesn’t just need the bras afterwards,” Roman said. “She will need to talk to someone who has been through the same thing.”
Roman, 47, who is now five years cancer-free, explained that CureDiva was years in the making. After attending an annual C4YW Conference for Young Woman Affected by Breast Cancer, she was sure there was a need for this kind of website.
As an established photographer, Efrat’s artistic training helped her create a vision for the CureDiva website. Her business partner, marketing and product executive Ester Gofer, handled the technical side of it. CureDiva is now an international business with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. The team consists of five executives and 35 women across the country who provide customer support.
“One out of eight women will face what I faced,” Roman said. “Women really need shortcuts in this situation.” As of 2014, about 80,000 women are members of CureDiva’s communities. CureDiva also donates about $100,000 to breastcancer.org annually.
In addition to sourcing new products, CureDiva is developing a smartphone app that will allow shoppers to connect with social media.
“We didn’t find a cure yet, unfortunately,” Roman said. “But when a woman finds a site that make her feel like she’s still a woman, it’s better than nothing.”
