“I truly believe that feeling good allows yourself to heal better,” said Dana Donofree, a Dayton-area native who founded AnaOno in 2014.
Donofree, who was born and raised in Bellbrook and now is located in Philadelphia, is a breast cancer survivor. Following bilateral mastectomies, breast reconstruction and chemotherapy, Donofree struggled to find bras that fit her post-surgery body.
“When I received my diagnosis of breast cancer at the age of 27, I was prepared for many things, like losing my hair, feeling sick from treatment, but no one ever prepared me that my underwear drawer was going to be the toughest part,” Donofree said.
Credit: Matt Rourke
Credit: Matt Rourke
As a recent graduate from Savannah College of Art & Design, Donofree set out to create her own line of supportive bras for people of all shapes and sizes.
“My hopes have always been that AnaOno will be more than just a bra, it will a piece of you you didn’t even know was missing, or better yet, a piece of you that never knew there was an issue in the first place,” Donofree said.
Her AnaOno line partners with stylists and health care providers alike to reduce stigma around conversations about breast cancer.
Donofree’s goal is to help give hope to people newly diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as give them one less thing to worry about.
“My hope is to skip over the crying in the dressing room part, and just continue to heal and feel as much like yourself as you did before cancer,” Donofree said.
Donofree’s AnaOno brand became associated with Meijer after meeting Annette Repasch, vice president of softlines at Meijer, at a conference and connecting over their shared experience as breast cancer survivors.
“By pairing our Tranquil & True brand with this truly amazing women-owned business, we hope to make a difference in the lives of our customers who have undergone chest surgery or are battling breast cancer and inspire them to feel supported, confident, and empowered,” Repasch said.
AnaOno collections range in support from diagnosis, to post-op, to radiation therapy, and reconstruction surgery if the patient chooses that.
The AnaOno x Tranquil & True collection includes two styles of bras, including the front closure bra, a post-surgery recovery bra designed to secure bandages and surgical dressings in place. It was voted “Best Post-Mastectomy Bra” by InStyle Magazine.
The other style, the full coverage bra, is wire-free and includes elastic encased in cooling, anti-microbial material designed to bring an added soft layer for healing, the AnaOno brand said.
“Our goal is to provide a shopping experience where they can find everything they need for their families, including themselves,” Repasch said. “We hope to make these relevant undergarments more accessible to shoppers in the Midwest who may already be shopping our stores for groceries and other necessities.”
In Ohio, breast cancer was the highest of all new invasive cancer cases in 2020, accounting for 14.6% of new invasive cancer cases, according to the Ohio Department of Health’s 2023 annual cancer report. Cancers of the lung and bronchus followed, accounting for 14.2% of new cancers in Ohio in 2020.
The incidence rate for female breast cancer in Ohio in 2020 was 122.8 cases per 100,000 women.
These bras are in 178 Meijer stores across the Midwest now, including five stores in the Dayton area:
- 4075 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
- 5858 Springboro Pike, Miami Twp.
- 9200 N. Main St., Englewood
- 3822 Colonel Glenn Highway, Fairborn
- 1900 W. Main St., Troy
At AnaOno.com, the cost range is from $10-$79 for chest accessories to loungewear used to help aid in recovery.
AnaOno’s collaboration with Tranquil & True allows them to offer AnaOno products with costs around $20.
“We believe that mastectomy intimates should be available to you no matter where you shop,” Donofree said.
Credit: Matt Rourke
Credit: Matt Rourke
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