We recently connected with Angela LaRue and have shared our conversation below.
Angela, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
I was a stay-at-home mom for 20 years. I knew we needed more income, so I decided to go to nursing school. I wanted to contribute to our household and to the world. The most rewarding part of returning to school at 43 was showing my children that you can reinvent yourself at any age with hard work and perseverance. It was so empowering to illustrate to my children that there is more to mom than baking cakes! I want my children to know that they are capable of so much more than they can imagine. I also want other women to feel inspired to chase their dreams and turn them into reality.
I became an Operating Room nurse and worked in several surgical specialties at a large hospital. I left the hospital in 2017 and went to work for a group of plastic surgeons at their surgery center. This is where I encountered my first ruptured silicone breast implant. It was dense, sticky, slick, and impossible to remove without cross-contaminating silicone back to the patient. The surgeons do their best to remove all the silicone, but it is almost impossible. At that time, we started hearing about women having health problems due to breast implants. I knew that if I were the patient I would want the silicone removed quickly and safely. I decided that a device was needed, a device that could handle the volume and viscosity of a ruptured breast implant. My first thought was “Who do you think you are? You don’t have the credentials or experience to create a medical device.” My second thought was “You can do anything that you put your mind to. You have a responsibility to set the example for others.” So, off to work I went.I researched and designed a disposable medical device that uses standard vacuum suction to remove the low-molecular-weight silicone in seconds. The business has taken off from there. A LaRue Company has been granted two utility patents, tested in 4 facilities across the US, were part of The Health Wilcatters 2021 cohort, and chosen for some of NC’s accelerator programs. We are seeking funding for manufacturing. We provide surgeons and patients with a safe, fast, and easy way to remove ruptured silicone breast implants. Our website is www.alaruecompany.com. We have come a long way, baby!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
To be honest, if you asked me ten years ago how I would feel about being the CEO of a medical device company, I would have laughed!!! I think as women it is easy to discount yourself. I am just a regular person, a nurse, a mom, a wife, but here I am!! CEO and co-founder of A LaRue Company-home of the LaRue Surgical Evacuator. I was an operating room nurse that saw a need. I created and patented a medical device that removes gelatinous material from the body-biggest example if ruptured silicone breast implants. We save surgeons 40 minutes per surgery which equates to a $2700 cost savings per case. For patients we provide a shorter surgery with smaller scars. I have always been a little bit of a science geek so I am super proud that I invented a device and have two utility patents. I think what sets me apart from others is as a nurse in the operating room I have actually removed ruptured breast implants. So I know what is important to surgeons and patients. This knowledge is invaluable when designing a medical device. I also think that as a nurse and as a woman I have an insight and compassion for the patients that inspires me to not give up! Our website is www.Alaruecompany.com. If you are interested in learning more my email is [email protected]
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
One story that illustrates my resilience is my journey in nursing school. When I went to college in the 1980’s there was no internet and we didn’t have computers in the classrooms. So I was intimidated be the young students who had been using computers in an academic setting their whole lives. The younger students embraced me and helped me navigate several computer issues and I think I learned as much from them as I did the nursing instructors. I was determined to not miss one day of nursing school. I wanted my instructors to see my commitment to the program. One evening I started having extreme back pain with a fever. I went to the ER and was diagnosed with a kidney infection. After a round of IV antibiotics and pain killers I left the ER and went straight to clinical. I didn’t miss one minute!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
The biggest lesson that I had to unlearn is that I am not capable of achieving things due to my gender, age, education, or social status. Letting go of the misconceptions that limited my achievements was difficult. To be honest sometimes I find myself slipping back into the “I am not enough” mentality. Every time my thoughts go in that direction I write down three things that I have accomplished. If that doesn’t help I go to gratitude-I have been blessed in this life and part of being grateful is to live to your full potential! Also spending time with a good friend and glass of wine helps. We all feel less than at some point. There is no one way to quieten the voice of doubt. Everyone has to find what works for them.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.alaruecompany.com
- Instagram: Alarueco
- Facebook: A LaRue Company
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelalarue/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPzDuGB27p5wvv-RBs7Gb4Q