The Healthcare Inventor – Lisa Faye Crites: Offering True Patient Care with The SHOWER SHIRT™ 

Problems in our everyday living reality demand real, pragmatic answers that can withstand daily challenges. Lisa Faye Crites has built a career defined by clarity, purpose, and an uncommon ability to turn lived experience into practical solutions. Known today as the inventor of The SHOWER SHIRT™, a patented garment designed to protect surgical drains during recovery, Crites brings the discipline of medical journalism into the world of medical innovation. Her work reflects a professional life shaped by storytelling, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of how thoughtful design can restore dignity during vulnerable moments. 

The Beginning of Her Journey in Journalism 

Crites began her career in journalism, where accuracy and trust are essential. She worked as a health and medical reporter and anchor for a range of respected media outlets, including Central Florida News 13 in Orlando, America’s Health Network, now part of Discovery Health, PBS, WCPX-TV Channel 6 (now WKMG), CNTV, NADA TV, and the Travel Channel. In these roles, she covered complex topics for wide audiences, translating both medical and business information into language that viewers could understand and rely on. Her reporting experience placed her at the intersection of healthcare, public education, and human impact, a perspective that would later shape her work as an inventor. 

In addition to her on-air roles, Crites served as a media coach with Gannett, helping print journalists refine their broadcast communication skills and present information with confidence and credibility. This background strengthened her understanding of audience needs and reinforced the importance of clear, effective messaging. Journalism taught her how to listen carefully, ask the right questions, and identify gaps between what exists and what people truly need. 

The Story Behind Her Patented Healthcare Innovation 

In 2009, Crites’ journalism trajectory changed with a breast cancer diagnosis, leading to a double mastectomy followed by unexpected infections and surgical complications. During recovering, she was advised not to shower unprotected to mitigate the risk of infection. After doing so in a plastic trash bag, she was determined to create a better solution for future patients. She subsequently invented The SHOWER SHIRT™, an award-winning, patented, water-resistant garment designed to protect chest surgery patients. It is created specifically for post-surgical care. Designed to be easy to use and comfortable to wear, it addressed a real and often overlooked need for recovery. Crites secured U.S. Patent No. 8,516,613 for the garment’s design and method of use, formalizing her transition from journalist to inventor. The product was later classified by the Food and Drug Administration as a Class I medical device, reflecting its role as a minimal risk but highly practical healthcare solution. Today, The SHOWER SHIRT™ is available through a range of retail and medical supply platforms, reaching patients and caregivers around the world. 

Conquering Challenges 

According to Crites, besides showering, her biggest challenge after surgery was the unexpected challenge due to  a complexity of complications.  For her, it was hospital-acquired infections that led to seven surgeries and four months in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Though infections in general are tough for breast cancer patients. 5-29% of all breast cancer surgery patients acquire infections for varying reasons. A significant percentage of those infections go back to water-borne illnesses. 

It is where her invention makes the most profound impact. The SHOWER SHIRT™ is the first and only water-resistant garment on the market to protect post-surgical drains after mastectomy, chemotherapy ports, and hemodialysis catheters for the end-stage renal disease population in dialysis treatments.  

So, when it comes to the actual benefits, primarily, keeping breast cancer patients out of showering in trash bags when trying to keep their surgical drain sites dry is one of the best solutions The SHOWER SHIRT™ offers, which no other product in the market does.  

Crites says, in comparison to the difficulties she faced while inventing and patenting her product, bringing it to the customers was a different ball game altogether. It is extremely difficult to bring a product to market that has never existed. No water-resistant garment for breast cancer or chest surgery patients ever existed, so we needed to start from Ground Zero. Also, the legislative filing of the Post-Mastectomy Infection Reduction Act was another major challenge. Maneuvering around the bureaucracy of Washington DC felt like never ending, recalls Crites.  

During breast cancer recovery and ongoing complications, she began reading a book called Unstoppable: Powerful Stories of Perseverance and Triumph by Cynthia Kersey. It chronicled the journeys of companies that had struggled deeply, some facing bankruptcy, before ultimately achieving massive success, including brands like Disney and Domino’s Pizza. One passage, she felt, was written directly for her. The author wrote that it is harder to bring a product to market that has never existed than to take an existing product, change it by five to ten percent, and rebrand it. “I was trying to bring a product to market that had never existed before, so it was an extraordinary task.”  

Because nothing comparable to The Shower Shirt™ had ever been created, Crites and her team not only had to work to get it on the market but also had to teach consumers why it was needed. They also had to start from the very beginning with the government to obtain a proper medical billing classification. 

Writing a New Chapter of Her Journey 

Being a breast cancer survivor first. That led to becoming an inventor, which led to becoming a keynote speaker, and now an author. Life is a journey, and Crites’ journey continues with new chapters every year. She only took a hiatus from journalism to invent The SHOWER SHIRT™. She still writes health/medical columns and has a guest column in Elysian Magazine. “I love medical journalism as it carried me through a 30-year career.” The news genre took me from reporting to anchoring, to media strategy in the corporate offices of two large hospital systems; from covering the Natalee Holloway missing persons search in Aruba, to becoming a patented inventor of a medical device, ghostwriting guest columns and medical journals for doctors across the United States, while serving as a health and medical print columnist for a national magazine. “I love writing medical columns but also enjoy sharing the inspirational venture of overcoming adversity, the power of faith, and the act of encompassing unexpected strength and self-purpose through conviction and perseverance.”  

Yet, this background of hers as a medical journalist and then media strategist for multi-hospital systems gave Crites the background to understand healthcare from the business and regulatory side.  That was hugely helpful once she began creating, patenting, and marketing this product. 

Crites’ upcoming book, BEAUTIFULLY UNBROKEN – A Life Changing Invention Born of Loss, Cancer, Courage and Faith, captures her journey, and will be available in May 2026. 

A percent of proceeds from each book sold will be donated to breast cancer support groups and nonprofits who support cancer patients, she informs.  

A Meticulous Journalistic Approach to Invention 

Crites approached invention with the same rigor she once applied to reporting. She researched patient needs, consulted medical professionals, and refined the design based on real-world use. Rather than focusing on novelty, she focused on function. The success of The SHOWER SHIRT™ lies in its simplicity and qualities rooted in Crites’s background as a health journalist who understood both the science of recovery and the emotional experience of patients. 

Her work also expanded beyond product development into public policy. Crites was responsible for the bipartisan legislative filing of the Post Mastectomy Infection Reduction Act, sponsored by United States Congressman Bill Posey of Florida and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida. The legislation addressed critical gaps in post-surgical care and reflected her ability to translate patient experience into actionable healthcare reform, bridging innovation, advocacy, and lawmaking. 

Empowering Women by Improving Quality of Life 

Recognition soon followed. In 2015, Crites was named a winner in the national InnovateHER Challenge, a competition sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Washington Post, and Microsoft. The award recognized products that empower women and improve quality of life, placing The SHOWER SHIRT™ among leading innovations with social impact. This award led her to travel with the U.S. State Department to Singapore to present at the annual meeting of the WE-APEC network, an Asia-Pacific initiative designed to connect women entrepreneurs across the 21 APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) economies. That same year, she received the Patient Innovation Award from the University of Portugal, further affirming the global relevance of her work. 

The SHOWER SHIRT™ entered the international spotlight when it was featured in the London Science Museum’s innovation exhibit, which toured several European countries. This inclusion highlighted the garment not only as a medical device but also as an example of human-centered design. Crites was later invited to present at the World Government Summit in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, where global leaders and innovators convene to explore solutions at the intersection of technology, policy, and social good. 

Engaging with Global Innovation Ecosystem 

Her engagement with innovation ecosystems aligns with broader global initiatives that promote technology for development. The United Nations and its affiliated organizations have long supported innovation-driven solutions through partnerships with technology hubs, academic institutions, and inventor networks. Organizations connected to the UN, including the World Intellectual Property Organization, support international inventor festivals and global knowledge exchange.  

Within this context, Crites received a Silver Award at the Silicon Valley International Invention Festival, an event supported by the United Inventors Association and the International Federation of Inventors’ Associations, a recognized partner of the World Intellectual Property Organization. The festival connects inventors from around the world and reinforces the role of intellectual property and practical design in addressing global challenges. She also received an ARCA Award from the Croatian Union of Innovators. In 2024, Crites was nominated for induction into the Florida Inventors Hall of Fame, recognizing her lasting contributions to patient-centered healthcare innovation. 

Education and knowledge sharing remain central to her work. Crites regularly gives guest lectures at colleges and universities across the United States on social entrepreneurship, patient innovation, and translating lived experience into scalable solutions. Her work has been the subject of multiple academic theses examining patient-led innovation and social entrepreneurship. She has also presented nationally on patent innovation strategies for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, contributing her expertise to discussions on intellectual property and inventor education. 

Her influence is further documented in academic literature. Crites is featured on pages 37 through 41 of the book Patient Innovation, produced by a team of European professors. The book explores global patient-driven innovation programs that are now implemented across multiple countries and embedded within university-based research and entrepreneurship initiatives. 

A Strong Academic Background 

Crites earned a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Murray State University in Kentucky. She later completed an MBA and a master’s degree in digital marketing and e-commerce from the European Business School in Barcelona. This advanced education supported her transition into entrepreneurship and global product development, equipping her with the skills needed to navigate manufacturing, intellectual property, marketing, and international distribution. She was also recently awarded an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Media Communications, for her decades of work in media.  

Beyond her professional achievements, Crites has demonstrated a sustained commitment to community service. She has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including the Historic Cocoa Village Playhouse, Digital Arts for Autism, National Breast Friends Advisory Member, Driven By Heart, Space Coast Early Steps, and the weVenture Women’s Business Center Advisory Board at the academically recognized Florida Institute of Technology. Her volunteer work with organizations such as the Central Florida Second Harvest Food Bank and the Central Florida Homeless Coalition reflects a broader dedication to service and social responsibility. 

A Resilient Life’s Learnings 

When it comes to the role of technology and digital platforms, Crites often laughs and says, “We never performed traditional marketing campaigns for The SHOWER SHIRT™ product. We primarily put it out in the universe, on social media, and it started selling.” Social media is phenomenal in targeting large categorical networks, and there are vast amounts of breast cancer communities everywhere.  

So, when it comes to her advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially in the healthcare space, Crites says: “Research, research, research!!! If you are looking to bring a product to market, do as much intellectual property research as you can. Just because a product does not exist on the market, does not mean that there’s not intellectual property protection with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.” 

In her message to the readers and the global community at large, Crites says, “Please read my upcoming book, Beautifully Unbroken, for inspiration and ideas on entrepreneurial disciplines and innovation. My hope is that this book brings encouragement to breast cancer patients who are searching for hope, that it motivates inventors who need that PUSH (Push Until Something Happens), and demonstrates to anyone who needs reassurance that faith and inspiration come from above — you simply must ask.” 

She also hopes her story serves as a reminder that there is always light after darkness, but sometimes you must search for it. “There is always sunshine after the pouring rain, though at times we must first endure the storm.” Prepare as if tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life – for the opportunity to live with courage, authenticity, resilience, gratitude, and originality -CARGO. 

Finally, seeing the future of healthcare innovations evolving in the coming years, Crites says, “I believe healthcare will always be complicated because it is an extremely large, ever evolving  business. Yes, patient care is important, but in the end, it is all about making money, which sometimes gets in the way of true patient care.” 

Lisa Faye Crites’s career stands as an example of how professional experience, personal resilience, and thoughtful design can converge to create meaningful change. From the newsroom to the patent office, and from legislative chambers to international innovation forums, her path has been guided by a journalist’s eye for detail and a clear understanding of human need. Through The SHOWER SHIRT™ and her continued advocacy, Crites has shown that innovation does not always begin in laboratories or boardrooms. Sometimes, it begins with listening, observing, and deciding that a better solution must exist. 

For more information on Lisa’s upcoming book, Beautifully Unbroken, go to: (will send final QR code to purchase book, and AMAZON link) – the QR code below is for the Authors Website.  

Beautifully Unbroken FB page: https://bitly.cx/5tKAd
Facebook Profile: https://bitly.cx/HkgtB
Website: https://lisashowershirt.com/