A mum "fell off her chair in shock" after a routine exam was trialled in her area.
Laura Meehan, from West Kirkby, was picked randomly for a breast screening trial amongst younger women in Wirral. But as she played with the idea of not going, her loved ones told her to go.
A short while later, after a trip to Glasgow with her husband and children, Laura received a letter urging her to come in for further tests as she said she "fell off the chair" in shock, adding: "You never think it will happen to you". Having been diagnosed with breast cancer, the now-56-year-old underwent reconstruction surgery.
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Now, eight years on, she is set to showcase her award-winning innovation for an eco-friendly deodorant at the international design show in Milan. For Laura, the idea for the product came after surprising research found deodorant could impact on cancer.
She told the ECHO: "When I was diagnosed, I thought I was going to die and I wanted to see women come through the other side and be lucky enough to survive. I researched and researched from the food you eat, what you drink and the spray you use.
"Research suggested aerosols could be detrimental in terms of cancer so I started using a natural one but it was plastic use. It wasn't until now, after I survived, I decided to go ahead and make my own."
Laura has developed a 100% sustainable refillable cartridge made of cork, with the help of Lancaster University through its Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory (LCEI) programme. Her startup, Let’s Rethink This, has developed a product called Nada, and is aiming to improve on current brands on the market which use metal and plastic.
The product won a design award through the WORTH Partnership Project and secured funding to support product development, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate the innovation at the Salone del Mobile during Milan Design Week from April 18-23.
The mum-of-three said: "I was still working full-time and my youngest was still quite young, I didn't put anything into action until I did a sketch but it's been really fascinating and interesting."
She added: "I was trying to avoid exposure to certain chemicals so I started to use more natural products. But while I was scrutinising what was available in the market I uncovered a lot of greenwashing with claims certain packaging is recyclable when in reality it isn’t."
Through LCEI, a programme which helps small businesses in Liverpool develop low-carbon innovations, Laura was given fully funded access to cutting edge chemistry and engineering facilities and researchers from Lancaster University.
With a prototype now in her hands, Laura is in discussions with manufacturers, exploring fragrance options and looking for investment. She said: "We should be at the point of civilization when the presumption is that the products we use are not going to harm us or anyone else.
"We need to rethink how we make our products and what we make them with, and stop putting the responsibility on consumers all the time. I have been starting from scratch, rethinking the process, being realistic with what technology has to offer so far but putting honesty at the heart of every decision."
More information about Lara's product can be found here. Speaking about her own journey, Laura is urging others to know their bodies and to see a GP about anything unusual. She told the ECHO: "Never put off getting a diagnosis.
"When I was called for the breast screening trial, I thought about radiation risks and exposure but if I hadn't gone when I went, I wouldn't be here now. Even if you don't know how to check your body, just do it in a way you think, anything at all to check."
Carolyn Hayes, LCEI Project Manager at Lancaster University, said: “One of the biggest challenges small businesses and charities have is the lack of resources, such as personnel, knowledge and time, to devote to starting their net zero journey. The LCEI programme offered access to the skills and expertise of undergraduates, postgraduates and world-renowned academics, leveraging our plethora of world-class facilities, to identify a bespoke course of action."
LCEI was part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and involved a consortium including Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and the University of Liverpool. Lancaster University is continuing its support for SMEs in Merseyside with Net Zero Essentials, a two-day practical programme for organisations looking to understand their carbon footprint and create an action plan. For more information visit www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/business/sme-programmes/net-zero-essentials.
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