Josefa Cortes, friend of breast cancer survivors, invents device to improve education and train in breast self-examination

Josefa Cortes, a Chilean designer, was deeply moved by Jovita's story. Jovita's journey, marked by the missed opportunity to address a breast anomaly in its early stages, left a profound impact on Josefa. She recognized the need for accessible education and tools to empower women to take control of their own health.

Inspired by Jovita's story, Josefa embarked on a mission to create a solution that could truly make a difference. The result was Palpa, a training tool aimed at educating and promoting optimized self-examination practices for early breast health awareness in women from a young age.

Palpa is a sponge designed to facilitate breast self-examination in the shower. It takes the form of a soap container shaped like a breast, with a simulated lump inside to mimic the feel of detecting a potential abnormality. As you use the product, the soap is released through the sponge, making the skin more receptive for a thorough self-examination.

A significant challenge with self-examination is that it's often not performed accurately. This can lead to potential issues going unnoticed, underscoring the need for accessible and effective tools like Palpa. Palpa provides a unique opportunity for individuals to familiarize themselves with the sensation that simulates potential abnormalities, offering a hands-on experience that can be invaluable in recognizing irregularities during self-examination. The device trains you to recognize abnormalities and serves as a constant reminder to check while in the shower.

It's crucial to emphasize that Palpa is not a medical device, but rather a training tool designed to promote breast health awareness and encourage self breast examination. It's important to note that formal testing of the device and regulatory approval have not been conducted.

Palpa is available for purchase at a price of 25 euros, with detailed documentation provided to inform users about its purpose and usage.

Get to know more:
https://palpa.es/

Adapted from:
https://www.fayerwayer.com/ciencia/2023/04/21/josefa-cortes-la-joven-chi...
https://contxto.com/startups/palpa-the-chilean-startup-and-its-groundbre...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g5eUsRXgjE