Worldclass Clothing | YMyHealth

Brooks Bell, a stage three colon cancer survivor and co-founder of Worldclass Clothing, is on a mission to make colonoscopies cool and save lives in the process. After her own cancer journey, she partnered with fellow survivor and celebrity stylist Sarah Beran to create a fashion brand that sparks conversations about colorectal health while funding colonoscopies for underinsured communities. In this candid Q&A from the Why My Health podcast, Brooks shares her entrepreneurial journey and why fashion might be the perfect vehicle to break the stigma around colonoscopies.

What inspired you to start Worldclass Clothing?

Bell: It was a long journey of personal development after finishing cancer treatment. I initially joined a nonprofit and focused on getting celebrities to promote colonoscopies. We actually got Ryan Reynolds to get a colonoscopy as part of Lead From Behind, which led to a 36% increase in colonoscopy appointments nationwide.

After that experience, I learned that nonprofits have challenges similar to for-profits. I was burnt out from running my previous company for 16 years and wanted to find a way to have an impact in the colon cancer space while being healthy to myself. I realized that when I'm inspired, I can inspire others, and I need to be having fun, working with friends, and being creative.

Then Sarah Beran, a stage four colon cancer survivor and celebrity stylist, reached out to me. We had an instant spark working together and thought: no one has actually attempted to make colonoscopies sexy or create a brand that's not cringy or juvenile but actually cool. It felt like a difficult but interesting challenge that might be really impactful.

Why did you choose clothing as the vehicle for your message?

When awareness and stigma are the problems, you have to reach people who aren't already in the healthcare industry or paying attention. How do we reach people who turn away when they hear the word "cancer" or think "colonoscopy" is almost a bad word?

These are the unscreened populations who delay their first colonoscopy by eight years. They're not open to standard public health information. I wanted to reach my "pre-cancer me"—someone who was into fashion but wasn't engaging with information about polyps or colonoscopies.

If we can make it cool through fashion, we have a new type of credibility. People trust doctors, but kind of don't. As survivors with good style, we can reach people in a way maybe they haven't been reached before.

Can you tell us about your products?

You can check them out at worldclass-clothing.com. The name "Worldclass" is short for "world-class ass"—this is really all about the ass! But we needed to be able to appear on broadcast TV while still having that inside secret.

We have three main lines:

The World-Class line, which simply says "world-class" on it. This includes our signature sweat set that's made in LA from 100% cotton.
The Ass line, with products that literally say "ass" in a colon style. We have an ass hat, an ass hoodie.
The Colonoscopy Enthusiast line, which is more edgy and fun for the truly daring or people in the healthcare industry who really get it.

Quality was a priority. There's so much corporate swag that isn't great quality, and once you have quality clothing, you can tell the difference. Our products have that ineffable quality where you keep reaching for them because you look good in them, they fit well, and they feel good.

What challenges have you faced as a "healthpreneur"?

As a data person, I understand the power of data and need to use it responsibly. The challenge is getting the data right while building credibility in the health industry. Not having a degree can be challenging, and even being a cancer survivor can lead to some bias—people might think you're making emotional decisions rather than being realistic.

And honestly, starting a company is so much more work than I thought it would be! It's a never-ending amount of work. I'm personally shipping items out of my closet. If I didn't love this so much and feel so inspired, I wouldn't have the stamina.

How does Worldclass Clothing help increase access to colonoscopies?

We give all of our net profits to increasing access to colonoscopies in underinsured communities. We work with the University of North Carolina, which has been researching how to increase screening rates across the state for years.

Many people are uninsured but connected to the healthcare system because they're coming in for stool tests (FIT tests). When these tests come back positive, they urgently need colonoscopies, but face multiple barriers: taking a day off work is difficult, they might not speak English, might not have transportation, or might have to drive hours to see a gastroenterologist. They need a hand, and that's what we provide.

What advice would you give to people under 50 about health awareness?

Start with a mindset that you're healthy, but also know that something can happen at any time. Find the balance where you're not terrified or being a hypochondriac, but don't ignore your health either. There are many benefits to being healthy at all ages.

Trust your doctors—they're smart people who care a lot—but also know that you carry the downside if they get it wrong. I'm a fan of experimenting with my body, getting to know it, and trying to achieve optimal health rather than just being in the normal range.

For colonoscopies specifically:

It's difficult to get one before 45 unless you pay out of pocket.
Find out if you have family history—and be specific about it. Ask if your parent had colon cancer or large polyps.
A parent with a polyp over a centimeter counts as if it was cancer for your risk assessment.
You should get screened 10 years before they found that polyp or cancer, or at age 40.
Pay attention to symptoms like blood in your stool—it's probably hemorrhoids, but it could also be cancer and could earn you an early colonoscopy.

How can people support Worldclass Clothing?

Go to worldclassclothing.com or follow us at worldclass_clothing on Instagram. Check out the website—even the FAQ is full of "ass jokes" and it's a hilarious site to enjoy. Check out our products and join our tribe of colonoscopy enthusiasts!

Want to hear more from Brooks Bell? Listen to the YMyHealth Podcast!

Brooks Bell on Making Colonoscopies Fashionable and Saving Lives