Julián Ríos Cantú was only 13 years old when he experienced the most horrible moment of his life: his mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and the doctors had little hope. The young boy from Mexico had to prepare himself for the loss of his mother.
What made the situation even more tragic was the fact that Julián’s mother might have responded to chemotherapy if the diagnosis had been made earlier. But the cancer was so advanced that she had to have both her breasts amputated, which at least saved her life. Julián’s mother had beaten the odds and he knew that he had to do something to show his gratitude. He was determined to make sure that breast cancer was diagnosed as early as possible to ensure the best chance of survival.
When breast cancer is diagnosed during a mammography, it’s often too late. That’s why regular self-examinations are extremely important, especially in countries where access to health care is limited, as it is in Mexico. Women need to learn how to examine themselves and recognize when something isn’t right.
So Julián got to work: he studied every aspect of breast cancer including methods of diagnosis and the chances of survival. At the age of 17, he founded his own company called Higia Technologies. His goal was to develop a simple way for women all over the world to diagnose breast cancer as early as possible.
His company made several technological breakthroughs, the most recent being a bra with over 200 sensors built into it. These sensors monitor and analyze a huge amount of data to identify changes in women’s breasts. This data can be given to doctors so they can keep track of the patient’s condition. Julián is extremely proud of his invention.
The principle behind the device is simple yet very clever: tumors in the breast cause increased blood circulation through the tissue, which in turn leads to noticeable temperature increases. The bra keeps track of the temperature, transfers the data to an app, and alerts the woman wearing the bra if there are any significant changes. Wearing the bra for 60 to 90 minutes a week provides enough data to keep an accurate record of the woman’s breast health. The advantage of this method is that the temperature is always taken at exactly the same location and leads to very accurate results.
⭐️ #Actualité • A 18 ans, il invente un soutien-gorge capable de dépister le cancer du sein: Julián Ríos Cantú,… https://t.co/TITwx1tbcu pic.twitter.com/rhPZogAljs
— Kazi France™ ?? (@Kazi_France) May 4, 2017
Julián has already been honored by the president of Mexico for his achievements. The bra is still in the prototype phase, but will hopefully soon be available to the public after it has been thoroughly tested. Julián and his friends are confident that their invention will be a success.
Julián Ríos Cantú recibió el Global Student Entrepreneur Award en Alemania por su brasier con sensores para la detección del cáncer de mama. pic.twitter.com/rh5oxeA8dH
— Insurgente Noticias. (@InsurgenteNot) May 2, 2017
He’s only 18 but Julián is already an inventor and entrepreneur whose hard work could potentially save countless lives. Living through his mother’s diagnosis and battle with cancer was a terrifying experience for him, but he has managed to make something positive from it. We wish him great success in the future!
