Here's What To Know About Worthy Brands From Shark Tank
Paige Brattin of Worthy Brands will pitch her company's eye patches and chemotherapy chest port adhesives to the panel of investors on the new season of ABC's "Shark Tank" premiering on September 29. Inspired by her daughter's diagnosis of refractive amblyopia, Brattin founded Worthy Brands. Refractive amblyopia is a condition that emerges during childhood, where one eye has greater focusing strength than the other, according to experts at Boston Children's Hospital.
At risk of going blind, Brattin's daughter needed an eye patch. Worthy Brands emerged to provide a solution after Brattin discovered the shortcomings of the products available at that time. The company creates comfortable, breathable eye patches decorated with vibrant cartoon patterns. Brattin strives to #normalizepatching and make the experience easier for kids, families, and caregivers. This philosophy has led to new product developments aimed at helping a broader pool of patients and a focus on charitable giving.
Port Worthy patches were developed after nurses started using See Worthy patches as chest port covers
While Worthy Brands' See Worthy Patches initially came about in support of kids' vision health, it wasn't long before healthcare professionals began seeing the patches' potential for other uses too. In a press release, Paige Brattin explained that she began hearing from nurses who were using the eye patches as chest port covers for cancer patients receiving chemotherapy treatment. The nurses reported that the patches were more sterile and comfortable for patients than traditional port cover materials, such as medical tape or gauze.
Brattin found out that her father, who had been diagnosed with lymphoma, was also experiencing the same discomfort with traditional port cover options as other chemotherapy patients. "The opportunity to create Port Worthy was shining right in front of us," the entrepreneur explained. "We discovered that there hadn't been a product on the market to cover a medical port. With many cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, we knew we had a product on our hands that could make a difference for so many."
Part of Worthy Brands' sales go towards research and supporting patients
The Worthy Brands team is committed to giving back. When you purchase a pack of either Port Worthy patches or See Worthy patches through the company's website, you're also giving back.
The company donates part of its proceeds from each sale of Port Worthy patches to the non-profit group Swim Across America. The organization has been around since 1987 and has grown considerably over the years. It has raised a total of more than $100 million through community fundraising swims, with the funds going towards cancer research, clinical trials, and patient support programs.
According to Paige Brattin's LinkedIn profile, See Worthy also supports a good cause. Emphasizing the importance of early detection, Worthy Brands contributes a portion of these sales to programs that offer patient vision screening services. Consumers can also purchase accessories online, such as a patch storage pouch for $19.99, and Worthy Brands products are available on Amazon too.
Worthy Brands' patches have FDA approval
Worthy Brands dedicated nearly three years to designing and formulating its patches and has demonstrated a commitment to using the highest-quality materials. Not only are its products hypoallergenic, but the patches are also sterile, non-toxic, and free of gluten and latex. Furthermore, they are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Another product perk is that the patches may be reusable. If worn for only a brief period of time and removed with care, users may be able to get a second use out of a single patch. However, humid weather may make this more challenging. Therefore, the products are not guaranteed to be reusable. Another limitation is that the patches are not waterproof. If exposed to water, the adhesive breaks down and becomes gooey, which can be difficult to clean off. However, the company states that a waterproof patch may soon be available.
Play virtual games with the See Worthy App
Did you know that Worthy Brands offers a kid-friendly app? Compatible with both iOS and Android, the app is available for $2.99 and features games that are designed to make occlusion training more enjoyable for users. With three games titled "Patch Buster," "Key Master," and "Fish Finder," the games require users to visually track items across the screen in order to strengthen their ocular control. But it's not just the eyes that these games get moving. Alarm notifications will sound off periodically throughout the experience, signaling kids to get up and play.
All modeled on vision therapy activities, the app's combination of eye training and physical activity aims to boost kids' vision strength as well as physical coordination. "We've been See Worthy Patchers since the beginning, so when they released the app, it was a no-brainer to get it," one reviewer wrote. "My daughter is 5, and she loves it – I don't let her use devices too often, but the app is a fun way to help pass the patching time, and I love that it has little exercise breaks."
Worthy Brands is pushing for insurance coverage
Based in Kawaihae, Hawaii, Paige Brattin has focused her attention on the local community when it comes to making Worthy Brands accessible to all. With 1 in every 45 children across the country affected by amblyopia, Brattin emphasized in a 2022 interview with Hawaii News Now that the condition is treatable with the right tools and support. "We want to make sure that every keiki has the opportunity to see because if you can't see, you can't read," she told the outlet.
Despite being the main cause of blindness in children, Brattin stated that there is little medical insurance coverage for eye patches needed to treat amblyopia. "The only state in the country that has a program for it is Ohio," she said. While Brattin is actively advocating for insurance coverage of the devices, she's not waiting around either. Rather, the entrepreneur has made See Worthy eye patches available to families free of charge through the non-profit organization Project Vision Hawai'i.