From Pain to Purpose – A Seatbelt Innovation That Puts Comfort First

For many women who’ve had a mastectomy, even life’s simplest routines, like going for a drive, can bring unexpected discomfort. That familiar click of the seatbelt isn’t just a sound of safety anymore. It can be painful and a reminder of body trauma, recovery and how much life has changed.

That’s why we’re proud to be part of a new initiative with Ford to bring the SupportBelt™ to our Flat Friends community. It’s a soft, thoughtfully-designed seatbelt accessory that helps relieve pressure on the chest and reduce irritation.

Designed by people who’ve experienced post-surgical seatbelt pain themselves, the SupportBelt features a contoured, breathable shape that offers greater comfort and peace of mind when travelling by car – whether as a driver or passenger.

But what makes the SupportBelt truly special isn’t just the design, it’s the story behind it…

The idea was born from the personal experience of Lynn Simoncini, a creative director who underwent a double mastectomy in 2022. Struggling with seatbelt discomfort, Lynn sketched out a simple solution. That idea was brought to life by Ford’s design team, who turned it into a fully developed product, which blends compassion with engineering expertise.

Thanks to Ford’s collaboration with Flat Friends UK, Keeping Abreast, and The Sunshine Group, a limited number of SupportBelts were made available to each charity to distribute free of charge to members who needed them most. Early feedback has already shown how valuable they can be.

At Flat Friends, we hope that once these SupportBelts are no longer needed, members will pass them along to someone else in our private online community, and continue the cycle of care and comfort.

This small innovation is more than just a product. It represents confidence, dignity, and the power of empathetic design to ease life after surgery.

Ford has now filed a patent for the SupportBelt and intends to share the design more widely, with the goal of making it accessible globally. We’ll keep you updated as this exciting project progresses.