My Latest “Coup de Coeur,” The Radiant Wrap
Kindly Posted on January 23, 2014 by Sophie on her Blog: From California to Paris and Everywhere in Between
A story of startups, recruiting, adventure and great food!
First of all, happy new year one and all! The blog’s been undergoing a bit of an identity crisis since I left recruiting, but I’ve got several things lined up to get it back up and running at full speed covering startups and travel once more (and maybe the occasional recipe every once in a while too?)
Now, without further adieu, I would like to introduce you to Koray Lucas, creator of The Radiant Wrap. I met him at work (yes, he’s a RocketSpacer!) and was wowed by his story!!
Just like most guys in their early twenties, Koray wasn’t very aware of or interested in breast cancer when he went to SFSU, but he didn’t have much of a choice when his mother, Maria, discovered she had breast cancer right before he walked.
They were close and it hit him pretty hard, so he did the only thing he could, he researched. Koray got all the facts on breast cancer and was ready to support his mom however he could, but this is what surprised (and inspired!) him the most:
“As she went through her treatment, she’d come home and tell me about how the hospital went through this whole process to try and make her feel comfortable… fresh-baked cookies, a reading library, couches… it was almost like a spa! But when it came time for treatment, she had to put on one of those horrible hospital robes where your butt hangs out, just like patients at the hospital. And that was when she felt like a patient, when she felt sick.”
As painful as that must have been for Koray to hear, it was also the beginning of an inspiring story. His mom had to go in for treatments one hour every day for 6 weeks, and she soon came up with the very first Radiant Wrap prototype. She busted out her Target sewing kit, made something she could feel good about wearing, and got rave reviews when she wore it to treatment the very next week! Having just received his BA in Business, Koray jumped in and helped his mom develop it into the business it it today.
Over the last 2 years, he has worked tirelessly to bring these wraps to breast cancer patients everywhere, consulting with doctors and nurses to make sure his designer gowns meet all of the requirements, visited enormous cloth warehouses, found clothing manufacturers, and discovered the bureaucratic maze of medical procurement.
It wasn’t easy. Koray caught a lucky break and sold 50 Radiant Wraps to a hospital in Napa soon after he started, but it took a lot longer to get other hospitals and clinics to come on board since they must complete a tenuous process to receive grants to pay for the designer gowns, and Obamacare’s making everyone in the medical industry nervous about expenses.
“The hardest part, as an entrepreneur, is putting all of the profits I make back into my business. It has been very hard waiting for grant approval so hospitals can get their wraps and I can pay my rent on time and keep growing The Radiant Wrap. It’s being patient and pushing through those ups and downs.”
But Koray’s not giving up. He has already sold over 1,000 wraps to hospitals, cancer treatment clinics, and even small boutiques abroad! His mom is the face of the business, and someday, he wants The Radiant Wrap to give her the chance to retire.
I personally think this is a very worthy cause, and sincerely encourage anyone who wants to help to check out this website https://www.radiantwrap.com/
Check out Koray and The Radiant Wrap in The San Francisco Chronicle and Entrepreneur.
