This is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month...

October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Marks & Spencer has a beautiful gift for all the women who've undergone mastectomy. Known for their Marks & Spencer amazing collection of lingerie—from styles ranging for all possible body types—the post-surgery bra is one category that the brand was always keen to explore.

And after more than a decade spent researching on the right design and fit, the brand has finally launched post-surgery lingerie—the idea for which took root when a customer letter sent a letter to the brand CEO Sir Stuart Rose back in 2006. And Soozie Jenkinson, Head of Design for Lingerie, Active & Swimwear at Marks & Spencer, has been instrumental in designing the range. "When we were set the challenge to design and develop this range, our first response was to find out what women who've undergone breast surgery really want from a bra," Soozie says, adding, "And the key thing we discovered through research was that the options available in the market were very basic and not feminine at all." With six different styles in extremely pretty shades, this collection has been an important milestone for the brand's 'Change For Breast Cancer' campaign .

What's more, M&S has also partnered with the Ogaan Cancer Foundation and the Women's Cancer Initiative at Tata Memorial Hospital to help raise funds towards increasing awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, as well as supporting disadvantaged women with financial aid. The brand will be donating 10 percent of the total sales from the range to the Ogaan Cancer Foundation and the proceeds of all donations from this month will go to the Women's Cancer Initiative at Tata Memorial Hospital for funding breast cancer treatments for underprivileged women. Devieka Bhojwani, Founder and Vice-President, Women's Cancer Initiative at Tata Memorial Hospital, feels that a woman's confidence takes a massive hit after mastectomy. "Being diagnosed with breast cancer is a difficult time for any woman, and what can be even more traumatic is to lose a breast, even if from a life-saving mastectomy. Breasts are such an integral part of a woman's identity and femininity and to live with this loss, for the rest of her life can be extremely trying for any woman," adds Devieka.