THE mother of a young York woman who died from a brain tumour has been inspired to launch a unique clothing brand, aimed at helping other people undergoing medical treatments.

Joanne Nicholson, whose daughter Emily Rhodes lost her brave battle for life in April 2019, aged 24, says she witnessed how difficult it was for her to receive treatments while wearing normal everyday clothing.

“She would go for a treatment and would immediately be told to remove her top,” she said. “This would immediately make her feel all control was being taken away.”

Joanne says she could do nothing for the first year after Emily’s death. “I couldn’t even leave the house,” she says.

But then she became determined to focus her life on doing something to help other people needing procedures and treatments, such as chemotherapy, peg feeds, drains, stoma bags and tracheotomies.

“There’s nothing on the market to wear to help with the changes that the body goes through, and give back some control when all control is taken away,” she said.

“I had to do something, Emily went through so much hurt from situations that could have been avoided.”

Joanne said that she and a friend, Claire Myles Wharton, then spent two years designing and developing ‘Warpaint, fashion for the fight’ - the name chosen because Emily used to say she was ‘putting her warpaint on’ to go for treatment.

York Press:

They came up with a new range of fashionable clothing that patients can wear, with zips and ports built in that can be opened to allow procedures to take place.

“A pouch at the front opens so you can access stoma bags, peg feeds and drains,” said Joanne.

“The zips on the neck are for central lines, pacemaker checks, ECGs, breast checks.

“The snood is detachable and can be used to keep warm when having chemo and also for people with tracheotomies.

“In the back is a drawstring to let out when weight is gained or lost.

“There’s even an internal tourniquet in the arms, which will help the NHS as it won’t have to use a throwaway one. We’ve been told these designs will help so many people going through treatments and chronic illnesses.”

She said the business had been given a space at the University of York’s Phase One, the entrepreneurial start up space, and had won backing from the European Union of Commerce and Biovale, Yorkshire’s innovation cluster.

Joanne said Warpaint would be launched at Cosy Club in Fossgate on April 24, when the clothing would be modelled by people undergoing treatment for cancer and other conditions, and it had also been given a slot on the York Fashion Show catwalk at the Malmaison on May 1.