Josefa Cortés

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and is the leading cause of mortality in women. 685,000 women died from the disease in 2020, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Its early detection favors a good prognosis of the disease and a better survival. 

Self-examination can be the key to early detection of cancer. Especially for young women because mammography is recommended only after the age of 40, as it is not very effective below that age. Instead, touch can be trained to distinguish changes in the body that could indicate the birth of a breast tumor. 

To make self-examination a habit and promote early detection of breast cancer, Chilean designer Josefa Cortés has created Palpa, a device to teach women to detect tumors while soaping up in the shower. Thanks to Palpa, MIT Technology Review in Spanish has selected Cortés as one of the 35 Innovators under 35 Latin America 2022. 

The designer's creation is a kind of breast made of soft material with a hard textured cancer inside. The device is filled with a liquid soap that is released when pressed. Thus, while the woman is soaping up in the shower, it teaches the woman to detect an anomaly and include it in her routine. Cortés highlights the international patent: "Palpa is the only product that teaches you how to feel a tumor but that also becomes part of your daily routine."

More than 25,000 women have already been introduced to Palpa and at least seven have told the start-up that they have detected an abnormality thanks to Cortés' invention. The device is sold to companies, but the goal is to sell it directly to the public. The designer wants Palpa to reach the United States one year after its launch, the rest of Latin America the second year after, and then Europe. Cortés' dream is for Palpa to reach India with the help of other organizations, as it is the country with the highest mortality rate due to breast cancer.