Meet Jean Sachs, CEO of Living Beyond Breast Cancer

This October marks five years of Thirdlove's partnership with Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC), the national nonprofit that gives people affected by breast cancer the trusted information, connection, and support to make their own decisions about their care. Five years in, it's a partnership built on a simple belief: no one should have to navigate a diagnosis alone.

Health advocacy isn't a solo journey - it's how we show up for each other. And presence starts with feeling good in your own body. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're extending an invitation: prioritize your foundation first, so you can show up fully present for the people who need you this season.

To hear what that looks like in practice, we talked with Jean Sachs, CEO of Living Beyond Breast Cancer.

What does "showing up present" mean for someone going through a breast cancer diagnosis, and for the people supporting them?

"For a person diagnosed with breast cancer, showing up present can look a lot of different ways. And the most important thing to remember is there is no one right way to do it – there's only what feels right to you with the guidance of your healthcare team. Showing up to treatment can be as emotionally taxing as it is physically, so showing up for your loved ones means meeting them where they are."

LBBC's mission is about giving women real information to make their own decisions. Why does that agency matter so much after a diagnosis?

"When you're diagnosed with breast cancer, a pretty universal feeling is that a lot of the process is out of your control. Your treatment plan, how it might affect you with side effects, and how your cancer responds to the treatment – these all carry some level of uncertainty. By providing people with trusted information, we empower them to be full participants in their care so that they can feel confident about their choices and take back some of that agency."

What's one thing you wish more people understood about supporting someone through this experience?

"Being in treatment can be really overwhelming, and many of our advocates tell us that they often don't really know what they need or are afraid to ask. If you're supporting someone, try offering small, specific, practical help, like picking up groceries, dropping off a meal, or taking the kids for a playdate. And remember, the emotional weight of going through breast cancer often continues even after treatment ends. Keep checking in and supporting as they work to find their new normal."

How does LBBC help people feel like they're not going through this alone?

"Every person who goes through breast cancer becomes part of the worst club, but with the best members you'll ever meet. At LBBC, we know that connecting with others who have been where you are is one of the best ways to process what is happening, learn about your situation, and feel supported. We make those connections through our virtual communities like on social media and our Flourish community app — our free, private online community for people impacted by breast cancer that allows you to ask questions, share experiences, find encouragement and connect with people who understand, anytime, anywhere — in-person conferences and events, webinars and other programming, and our Helpline, where people can get 1:1 support from a trained volunteer."

Thirdlove has partnered with LBBC for 5 years now. From your perspective, why does something as personal as a bra, how it fits, how it makes someone feel, matter to the broader conversation around confidence and showing up present after a diagnosis?

"Body image is such a personal journey when going through breast cancer, and treatment can often make you not recognize yourself in the mirror. Personal choices that put people in charge of how they feel makes such a difference in their day-to-day lives. Many people with breast cancer describe a process of learning their new bodies after treatment, and we want people to have all the tools available to them for support along the way, including something as personal as a bra. Feeling more comfortable in your body can build your confidence, and we believe everyone should have the opportunity to feel comfortable and beautiful. For many women shopping for a bra becomes a traumatic experience that they avoid. Having options that fit their new body and where they feel seen is so important and helps them in accepting their new breast size and shape."

To learn more about Living Beyond Breast Cancer, connect with the Flourish community, or reach the Helpline, visit lbbc.org.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we're continuing the conversation on what showing up present looks like, lived out day to day.

Comfort and support that let you focus on the people around you, not what you're wearing - so the door opens to feeling good in your own body before you show up for anyone else.

Shop both our Best Selling Bras and Post Surgery Bras.