T-shirts That Make a Difference
As the whole world continues to struggle with an ongoing health crisis, May marks Brain Tumor Awareness Month, putting patient care top of mind for many.
For JZips founder and chief executive officer Jordan Harouche, patient care has been a priority since going through his own chemotherapy treatments after being diagnosed with brain cancer at age 15. Now completely in remission after a two-year battle, Harouche is committed to helping kids and young adults in active cancer treatment by making treatments more comfortable.
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According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, there are more than 15,000 children and young adults diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. each year, and more than 300,000 globally, with treatments often lasting over several years.
Through his company, Harouche provides T-shirts to children and young adults going through active treatment, redesigned with functional zippers that make accessing medical ports fast and easy. All T-shirts are given to recipients who request through JZips website free of charge.
Currently, all of JZips mediport access shirts are created from new shirts through donations from supporters, though as demand grows, the company says there is an opportunity for the fashion industry to help.
“The concept of adding zippers to shirts is so simple, yet the impact can be profound for children as well as adults going through chemotherapy,” Harouche said. “In addition to providing children with cancer with shirts for free, I’d like to bring awareness to not only the fashion industry, but to the patients, their families and hospitals across the world that a better way exists.”
To date, more than 3,000 shirts have been sent to kids at over 20 hospitals and clinics across the country. And continuing to grow, JZips is now officially a 501(c)(3) corporation with a newly assembled board, which includes Jodi Harouche; Jeff Harouche, senior vice president of strategy and planning for W Promote; Dr. Theodore Nicolaides, director, pediatric neuro-oncology at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone; Ellen Hoeffel, previously an operations and human resource professional at Ann Taylor, Brooks Brothers and Saks Fifth Avenue; Ravit Kraus, executive vice president of TAA Apparel Inc., and Judith Harouche, retired New York City Board of Education teacher.
Those who wish to help or donate can do so through JZips website.
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