Patented Inventor Lisa Crites Turns a Breast Cancer Diagnosis into a Medical Device, a Best Seller and Charity Platform

Entrepreneur who patented a garment after showering in a trash bag has authored a book on what reinvention costs, just in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

ORLANDO, FL, UNITED STATES, October 5, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Medical journalist and patented inventor, Lisa F Crites, PhD (hc), released her award winning, deeply personal, faith-based memoir, Beautifully Unbroken: A Life-Changing Invention Born of Loss, Cancer, Courage, and Faith. Quickly reaching AMAZON BEST SELLER status in New Releases, and trending #1 in multiple health categories including Cancer, Spiritual Biography, and Health and Spirituality, the book offers an intimate look into a journey shaped by profound loss, life-threatening illness, and the quiet determination to rebuild a life with purpose through innovation.

Beautifully Unbroken, having already received an International Impact Distinguished Author Award, Crites’ story begins in a place many would struggle to navigate. The sudden passing of her mother, followed closely by a breast cancer diagnosis, placed her in a situation defined by uncertainty and emotional upheaval. While medical treatment addressed the physical aspects of her illness, the deeper process of healing unfolded in less visible ways. It was in this often-overlooked medical middle ground, after surgeries and during recovery, where her perspective on life began to shift.

What sets this memoir apart is not only its emotional depth but also its outcome. During her recovery, Crites identified a gap in patient care that is rarely discussed. Simple daily activities, such as showering after surgery, became sources of discomfort and vulnerability. Instead of accepting these limitations, she asked a question that ultimately changed her path. Why should I be required to shower in a plastic trash bag for protection? Why should recovery come at the cost of dignity?

That question led to the creation of The Shower Shirt™, a patented (U.S. Patent No. 8,516,613), water-resistant medical garment designed to help patients protect surgical sites while maintaining comfort and protection during recovery. What began as a personal solution has since grown into a widely recognized patented innovation, supporting patients around the world. The product stands as a testament on how lived experience can drive meaningful change when paired with determination, prayer, faith, and insight.

In Beautifully Unbroken, Crites connects this invention to a broader narrative about purpose. She does not present herself as someone who simply endured hardship, but as someone who allowed those experiences to shape a new direction. Her journey reflects a transition from survival to service, where personal challenges become the foundation for helping others. She emphasizes the role of faith in her journey, describing it as a steady source of guidance during uncertain times, and a quiet presence that supported her through each stage of recovery and reinvention.

Beautifully Unbroken will heavily resonate with cancer survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, inventors, and readers navigating their own seasons of adversity. It offers reassurance that healing does not follow a fixed timeline and demonstrates how real-world challenges can inspire practical solutions that improve the lives of others.

For individuals facing illness, it offers reassurance that healing is not defined by timelines or expectations. For innovators and entrepreneurs, it demonstrates how real-world problems can inspire practical innovation and solutions. For general readers, it offers a thoughtful exploration of resilience, hope, conviction, and human adaptability.

Beautifully Unbroken stands as more than an award-winning memoir. It is a reflection on what it means to move forward when life does not return to its former shape. The author offers a perspective shaped by experience, one that recognizes that being broken is not the end of a story, but the beginning of something new.

As one reader wrote. “This is not just a book about breast cancer. This is a book about a patient who chose to invent a product for the betterment of future breast cancer patients. It is about a woman who walked into the most powerful rooms in the country to fight for breast cancer patients. This book is for every mother, sister, or daughter who may eventually be diagnosed with this horrible disease.” — LJK

Crites has created a philanthropic platform for Beautifully Unbroken as proceeds from each book sold will be donated to breast cancer support groups and nonprofit organizations who support breast cancer patients.




About Lisa F. Crites
Lisa F. Crites is an award-winning inventor and entrepreneur best known for creating The SHOWER SHIRT^®, the first and only patented (U.S. Patent No. 8,516,613) water-resistant garment designed to help protect chest surgery patients while showering. Developed following her own breast cancer diagnosis and bilateral mastectomy, her invention was recognized for both its design and method of use. In 2015, she was named a winner of the InnovateHER Challenge, a national initiative honoring innovation that improves the lives of women. Lisa’s work has been widely featured across major media outlets, including Forbes, The Huffington Post, Reader’s Digest, FOX News, CBS, NBC, CNN, and Lifetime Television’s The Balancing Act, where she has spoken about her invention as well as the proposed “Post Mastectomy Infection Reduction Act,” sponsored by the late U.S. Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL).

A seasoned health and medical broadcast journalist, print columnist, corporate healthcare consultant, media strategist, public speaker, and entrepreneur, Lisa brings more than 30 years of experience in health and medical journalism, corporate communications, news issue management, and marketing. She began her television career as the original health and medical news anchor and reporter for Central Florida News 13 in Orlando. Her broadcast background also includes work with PBS, America’s Health Network (now Discovery Health), reporting for Success Central Florida on WCPX-TV (now WKMG Local 6) in Orlando, and serving as a feature reporter for the Travel Channel. In addition to her on-air work, Lisa has served as a broadcast media coach for Gannett News Service and has worked as a television correspondent for CNTV and NADA-TV.

Lisa earned her Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Murray State University in Kentucky and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Barcelona, European School of Business, in Barcelona, Spain, and an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Media Communications from Kennedy University. She is presently a Doctoral Candidate at Birchwood University, in Philosophy studies.

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Lisa F Crites
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Lisa F Crites
The SHOWER SHIRT Co., LLC
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Beautifully Unbroken - A Life Changing Invention Born of Loss, Cancer Courage and Faith Book Trailer