Cranston innovator develops “Brilliantly Warm” to relieve chest coldness post-mastectomy, reconstructive surgery

KRISTEN CARBONE, of Cranston, created the "Brilliantly Warm," a wearable warming device for people experiencing chest coldness after mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. / COURTESY BRILLIANTLY

CRANSTON When Kristen Carbone had a mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery in 2013, she wasn’t sure what to anticipate in the long-term.

“One of the issues I was really not expecting was that I felt cold all the time,” Carbone said. Without breast tissue to insulate the implant, “it acts like a heat sink,” said Carbone, a Cranston resident and CEO of Brilliantly, a support network for the breast cancer community.

To address this issue, Carbone created Brilliantly Warm, a wearable warming device for people experiencing chest coldness after mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

Carbone initially came up with the idea for Brilliantly Warm to solve her own troubles with chest coldness after the procedures but soon after realized she wanted to create a device that could also help others experiencing the sensation.

- Advertisement -

Carbone, whose mother died of breast cancer in her 40s, had the surgeries as a preventative measure. At the time, the procedure “wasn’t a thing that was in the popular consciousness,” Carbone said.

“I didn’t know anyone else who had done it,” she continued. “Instagram and Facebook existed, but there weren’t support groups and communities on them in the same way. “

While creating Brilliantly Warm, Carbone embarked on a series of interviews and found that she was not alone in her struggles with cold sensations. The intensity of the cold sensation following mastectomy and reconstructive surgery can vary from person to person, ranging from mild discomfort to pain.

The Brilliantly Warm device uses Bluetooth technology to provide relief for people experiencing chest coldness after mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. / COURTESY BRILLIANTLY

Brilliantly Warm consists of an approximately 4-inch patch and a smart nodule containing a Bluetooth device and other electronics. Users control the device using an app, “so you don’t have to stick your hand into your clothes to turn it on or off,” Carbone said.

Carbone, who has a background in museum curating, art leadership and design thinking, worked with a friend experienced in film special effects to find the thermally conductive fabric the device uses, and several engineers to find a suitable heat source.

She began working on the concept over four years ago and has run the business full-time since 2018.

Through her overall work with Brilliantly, Carbone also seeks to build community for breast cancer survivors and those who underwent preventative surgery as they navigate the physical and emotional aspects of recovery.

“Of course, people do feel blessed and happy, and lucky to survive, and have the opportunity take preventative action,” Carbone said, “but there really wasn’t much to support survivorship.”

Carbone sent out the first run of 50 Brilliantly Warm units in June, which she said sold out in three days, and is now selling an additional order of 450 units. A pair of Brilliantly Warm devices sells for $180.

Carbone is also working on other projects through Brilliantly, such as a book and portraits inspired by the interviews she conducted in the early stages of Brilliantly Warm.

In the future, Carbone intends to explore how the technology can address issues for those outside of the breast cancer community. Carbone is speaking with a breast pump company about how the device may pair with their product, and has heard from some users who have used Brilliantly Warm for menstrual cramp relief.

Jacquelyn Voghel is a PBN staff writer. You may reach her at Voghel@PBN.com.

No posts to display