Shirts Save Lives

When tech entrepreneur Brooks Bell was diagnosed with colon cancer, she took a step back from her busy daily routine. Working during her treatment would be difficult, so she found a new way to pass the time: spreading awareness. She promoted both the cancer treatment itself and the discovery process, colonoscopies. 

The first thing she did was create a non-profit called 50 Colonoscopies Under 50. The mission is to educate individuals about the risks of colon cancer, to instruct people on getting testing earlier, and to raise money for colorectal cancer research. From then on, she created Lead from Behind, a partnership with the Colorectal Cancer Alliance that worked together to educate others about colon cancer. Now, Bell is cancer-free; however, her advocacy did not stop there.

After her final treatment, Bell created her final cancer initiative, Worldclass. It is a fashion brand designed to spread insights about colon cancer within the current wellness culture, one shirt at a time. Funnily enough, the shirt is the least enticing piece of the company, as the name Worldclass actually stands for Worldclass A**. 

Bell and her partners discovered that humor could be the biggest component of their marketing strategy. After all, the idea of a colonoscopy can be quite un-serious. With the help of her team, they initially created the name Worldclass A** for the company. However, after a brief discussion, they realize it would be more classy and discreet if the name were just Worldclass. From then on, they focused on the fine details to launch the company. Everything from the quality and fit of the shirts was taken into account, and at the end of their developmental stage, they reached a ‘fantasstic’ product. 

Following this phase, they launched the shirts, and they immediately saw a positive outcome. On the first day, they received 60 orders, and from then on, sales continued to increase. With their success, the entire Worldclass team is hopeful to make a real impact on the colon cancer community, but what does that impact even look like?

Bell’s company, Worldclass, is owned by a non-profit, Worldclass Foundation. The Foundation collaborates with the University of North Carolina Lineberger Cancer Center, and together, they use both raised and federal funding to increase colorectal cancer screenings. At the University of North Carolina Center, two doctors work together on finding new strategies to help people with the next stages of colon cancer diagnoses. Many individuals who partake in the first steps to colon cancer diagnoses usually do not have access to Medicare or Medicaid. Meaning the team at the Center is also trying to fund the entire process. 

Bell’s personal experience taught her more than she originally imagined. Coming into her cancer journey, there were so many unknowns. However, instead of waiting around, she decided to act. She built multiple companies and non-profits, all in the hopes that one day, her life-threatening disease would find its match.