The mother of this invention needed relief—and found it for thousands

Redding, CT - In 2008, Elizabeth Silver heard the words that an estimated one in eight women hears in her lifetime—a breast cancer diagnosis. Fortunately for Elizabeth, it was in situ, or stage 0. Still, she faced a daunting treatment of surgery to remove the cancerous cells followed by radiation therapy.

Large-breasted women frequently find the sensitive skin in the breast-fold subject to irritations ranging from minor rashes to painful open wounds and even scarring. Elizabeth was keenly aware that radiation beneath her breast might seriously aggravate these very sensitive areas. So, she did something about it—not only to the benefit of herself but also thousands of women across the country.

“It seemed logical that I could benefit from the protection of a soft cushion beneath my breast,” she says. An acclaimed artist, Elizabeth combined her creative instinct with her practical sewing skills and “fashioned a sling to wear over my shoulder with a soft cushion to tuck beneath my breast. I wore it nearly 24-hours a day. It was comfortable and soothing.”

It also worked. By the end of her treatment, she had no pain, burns, or scarring of any kind. “I had no idea that I had created something unique, but my doctors knew otherwise.”

Elizabeth soon realized that her product could help bring relief to large-breasted women beyond those undergoing cancer treatment. “Even new mothers have discovered the slings give just the right amount of support to their breasts so they can nurse their infants hands-free.” She copyrighted the name ComfortSlings, found a manufacturer, and began selling the products on both her own website and on Amazon, as well as to hospitals and radiation treatment centers.

Not quite retired, Elizabeth moved in 2023 from Scarsdale, New York to Meadow Ridge, the continuing care retirement community (CCRC) in Redding, Conn. where her sister and brother-in-law live. She continues to run her business, knowing she’s making a difference for women everywhere. Elizabeth regularly hears from women who share personal stories about their cancer journeys. “The gratitude women express in their emails to me is the reason ComfortSlings thrives.”