Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA)
We donate 10% of our profit from each sale to women's cancer research. If a top is purchased we donate 10% profit to Breast Cancer Research. If a bottom or shoes or socks are purchased, we donate 10% profit to Ovarian Cancer Research. If you decide not to purchase a fun quality product from us, please consider a donation to the (OCRFA) Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance.
(June 6th 2018) This organization again earned the highest rating, a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent charity evaluator.
The story of the little runt man
I'm AL Brown and I lost my mother to Ovarian Cancer. We thought my mom was simply putting on a little weight (Bloating is a key symptom of Ovarian Cancer) as she got older.
I am a very creative engineer, who thought perhaps I might find out about a new technology or something just in time to save my mom. I didn't, because it doesn't exist yet. But it will, and if I can play the smallest of parts to bring about the end of this devastating disease, my existence will be worth something more.
I thought I was ready. I'm former military, combat construction and combat demolition, Airborne, Air Assault, Urban Warfare qualified, ready to go fight and win. I never thought about watching my mother die in front of me...it never occurred to me. I didn't react how I expected. It was a profound effect on me, something I wasn't prepared for, if you could really prepare for such a thing.
I didn't like being around other people for about 2 years time, while my son played his ice hockey and we went to all the travel hockey games. I stood away from the other parents at the end of the ice rink recording the games.
My interest in the scientific realm increased as I believe this path will spell the end for cancer. I was intrigued with 3D printing, which has significant promise in the field of medicine, ironman like prosthetics and much more. The company that I work for in my day job worked with me to submit a prophetic patent application in the field of "additive manufacturing" also known as 3D printing. The idea has truly astounding possibilities. We expect to be granted the patent within a matter of months.
In researching 3D printing, I came across a quirky thing where people get 3D scanned and then 3D printed. None of the poses were useful for much other than well, there you are. I thought, it might be a way to start a business and donate to Ovarian Cancer Research. This could generate more money than I alone could throw at the problem. I started LiL Runt, LLC with a small 3D printed statue of myself posed to hold a pen on a desk or hold rings on a nightstand. The idea being that a real man that small would be a little runt man and he would work for you by holding your pens and rings. The target market was women, as the little statue is wearing hawaiian shorts in two poses and business casual in one. To say the reception was less than stellar is being kind. But, this did put me on a path to here. I started photoshopping photos that showed the little guy around women where the women were like superheros around him. This had a very good reception on Instagram. So I started looking at a way to monetize this and have a small business (literally), and donate to Ovarian Cancer Research.
I created some flip flops with the photoshopped image of the little guy looking up at you from between your toes. I thought it was comical, and ironically the flip flops floppped! Still available, but not a big seller.
I then thought it might be fun to have the little guy on the back of some leggings where he was praising or supporting a woman. This was a hit. It took off much faster than I was ready for. I didn't have a watermark or anything on the image that showed where people could buy it.
I am still developing new ideas for things that I think people will like, some are fun and creative products and you'll like them, others not so much, and I will just keep grinding...to discover what the market would enjoy...and what will allow me to prosper and be a cog in the wheel of the destruction of a devastating disease.
AL Brown, LiL Runt, LLC, Heroic U (Heroic YOU) brand - Updated 2021 November 25