Introduction & Context

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women aged 20–39, yet public health messaging, screening guidelines, and prevention campaigns often target women over 40. As a result, younger women face a critical gap in awareness and early detection. Surveys conducted for Te Toca found that 80% of women in this age group did not know they should perform monthly self-exams, 73% had never been taught how, and 80% could not identify what a lump feels like.

The Challenge

This lack of education is compounded by cultural taboos around self-touch, body image insecurities, and fear of “bad news.” Many young women have never visually examined themselves or discussed breast health openly. The challenge was to design a service that is engaging, stigma-free, and seamlessly integrated into daily routines, one that empowers women to take charge of their health early in life.

Target Market

Primary: Women aged 18–39.
Secondary: Families, educators, healthcare providers, NGOs, and menstrual product brands.

Objectives

• Provide accessible, inclusive, and accurate breast health education.
• Embed self-exams into monthly routines using the menstrual cycle as a behavioural anchor.
• Equip women with practical tools: physical, digital, and social.
• Create safe, supportive communities for knowledge-sharing and dialogue.

Process Overview

A participatory design process combined quantitative and qualitative research:

• 8 expert interviews with mastologists, gynecologists, survivors, and NGO leaders.
• 30 in-depth interviews and 2 workshops with young women, revealing emotional barriers and learning preferences.
• 2 surveys with 260+ participants across Europe and Latin America.
• Tools such as ecosystem mapping, menstrual cycle journey mapping, and rapid prototyping.

Outcomes

The name Te Toca means “Your Turn” in Spanish, but when reversed to Tócate, it means “Touch Yourself”, a wordplay that captures the project’s dual mission: prompting women to prioritise their health and perform self-exams. The multi-channel service integrates:

1. Te Toca Bra: tactile patterns guiding self-exam motions.
2. Print Toolkit: educational flyer/poster, menstrual cycle calendar, and exam tracker.
3. Digital Platform: resources, survivor stories, expert Q&A, community forum.
4. Workshops: expert-led, hands-on training in safe, supportive settings.

Impact

Testing showed commitment to monthly self-exams increased from 25% to 80%, and confidence in technique rose from 27% to 90%. Participants reported a shift from fear to empowerment and greater openness in discussing breast health. While full-scale impact is still a goal, Te Toca aims to reach 50,000 women within three years of expansion through partnerships with NGOs, brands, and schools.

Conclusion

Te Toca transforms breast self-examination from an occasional, uncertain act into a confident monthly habit, breaking taboos, fostering body literacy, and giving women the tools to “know their normal” for life.