Fort Worth doctor develops gear to help prevent breast cancer in female health workers

Dr. Lauren Ramsey remembers navigating grief when she lost her friend, an orthopedic surgeon, to breast cancer in 2022. 

Ramsey, who serves as the medical director of breast surgery with Acclaim Physician Group at JPS Health Network in Fort Worth, began researching radiation exposure. She believed her friend’s exposure to radiation in the operating room could have contributed to the cancer diagnosis. 

She learned that female orthopedic surgeons are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer than the general U.S. female population. The likely contributing factor may be occupational exposure to ionizing radiation, according to a study in the National Library of Medicine. 

“(Orthopedics) is a field that is known to be around more radiation, because they use a lot of X-rays,” Ramsey said. “It is shocking, and it just shows that there’s an aspect of medical devices that can be rethought.” 

Determined never to see a similar situation again, Ramsey developed a product to protect women who work in close contact with radiation. 

The BAT, a garment shaped like a shirt, is designed to protect the breast, axilla and thyroid areas. The accessory helps to reduce the risk of breast cancer and other radiation-associated cancers in health care workers by 97%, according to Ramsey. 

Available in 15 different sizes, the BAT is designed to fit over traditional aprons and does not require additional attachments. It also features mesh panels for comfort, mobility and temperature regulation. 

The 3-pound garment, which hit the market in September, addresses a critical gap in radiation protection available for women that is often overlooked by conventional aprons, said Ramsey. 

Dr. Lauren Ramsey developed the BAT to protect female health care workers and surgeons in the breast, axilla and thyroid areas. (Courtesy photo | Lauren Ramsey)

“Oftentimes we are wearing these aprons that aren’t made for smaller-framed women and we don’t get custom fittings. They leave the upper outer quadrant of the breast exposed, and that’s the most common side of breast cancer,” she said. 

Seeing the BAT complete and available in the market is a dream come true, Ramsey said. 

“It’s been really just a very exciting time to see it go from my first idea then to our prototypes that we tested and revised again and again. Now we actually have the product out there that people are wearing,” she added. 

Development of the BAT began in fall 2022 in partnership with Dr. Chet Rees, an interventional radiologist at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. Ramsey and Rees worked in a garage coming up with different patterns and early drafts before taking it to a designer. 

“We wanted to refine it and really make sure it was what we wanted, because we wanted the radiation protection part to be in the specific areas it needed to be,” she said. “The biggest challenge was finding the perfect balance of protection and comfort.” 

A year after going through the early developmental phase, Ramsey collaborated with Virginia-based Burlington Medical to bring the BAT to life. Burlington Medical is a radiation protection supplier company that specializes in creating aprons, eyewear, gloves, barriers and other wearable gear. 

The garment is developed in Virginia and currently retails for $500, which is $100 less than a standard apron from Burlington Medical. 

The BAT is currently in 16 states, including Dallas. Hospitals in Dallas, Midland, Edinburg, Coppell, and The Woodlands are using it, according to Ramsey. 

Dawn Fernald, spokesperson for JPS Health Network, said the hospital district is happy to have Dr. Ramsey’s expertise, deep commitment to patient-centered care and a passion for innovation. 

“Her addition strengthens our ability to deliver exceptional care to our patients and reflects our ongoing commitment to excellence,” Fernald said in a statement. 

Ramsey hopes to see the BAT picked up by John Peter Smith Hospital and, eventually, other Fort Worth-area facilities. Ramsey would need to go through the proper vendor process for securing a contract before that could happen, Fernald said.

“I know that a lot of the doctors are wanting to have it now,” Ramsey said. “JPS can be setting the example for hospitals in Fort Worth that want to protect their female employees.” 

David Moreno is the health reporter for the Fort Worth Report. His position is supported by a grant from Texas Health Resources. Contact him at david.moreno@fortworthreport.org or @davidmreports.

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