A mother and son from York have announced the official launch of adaptable fashion brand EmAble in a bid to help transform the experiences of people battling life-changing health conditions and enduring treatment for chronic illness.

Founded by Joanne Nicholson and her son Matthew Rhodes in memory of Joanne’s daughter and Matthew’s sister, Emily Rhodes, who died after a three-year battle with cancer in 2019 aged 24, EmAble combines fashion, function and cutting-edge design.

The mission shared by the family is to create clothing that gives people greater comfort, confidence and control whilst undergoing treatment. The launch coincides with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (September 2026) and follows two-years of research, design engineering and product development.

EmAble

EmAble

The adaptable clothing simplifies and speeds up hospital appointments by getting rid of the need for patients to undress for medical examinations, interventions and procedures. The range allows easy access during treatments including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, dialysis, blood tests, blood transfusions, breast checks and intravenous therapy.

Joanne Nicholson, Co-founder of EmAble, said: “It was heartbreaking watching Emily struggle not just with her terminal diagnosis, but grappling with her fluctuating weight and loss of identity. Because of her perceived body image, she dreaded undressing for treatment, so we hope we can eliminate this feeling for others.

“Emily was our inspiration behind the launch of EmAble and her memory forms the foundation of the business. Her nickname, Em, takes centre stage within the brand. With the ethos and brand vision centring on enabling and empowering others going through treatment, we’ve combined the two to create EmAble which is a fitting tribute to the daughter I miss dearly every single day.”

While EmAble’s debut collection is designed for adults, the family’s ambition extends beyond the launch range. The team plan to work on a dedicated collection for children and young people, with the same focus on comfort, dignity and practicality.

Given that every day in the UK, 10 children and young people receive the devastating news that they have cancer, according to Children with Cancer UK, this next stage of development has particular significance for Joanne and Matthew. Having experienced the impact of cancer treatment within their own family, they are determined to ensure that younger patients and their families can also benefit from clothing designed specifically around the realities of treatment.

Matthew Rhodes, Co-founder of EmAble, explained: “We know there is a huge need for this type of clothing across different age groups. We are particularly passionate about developing a range for children and young people because no-one should have to worry about removing their clothes for treatment or feel uncomfortable in their own skin.

“This is our opportunity to celebrate the life of Emily and create a lasting legacy for her while supporting others who are facing an uncertain future.”

EmAble has already attracted notable industry recognition, being announced as ‘New Starter Business of the Year’ at the Yorkshire Choice Awards. It’s also been shortlisted as a finalist in the ‘Against All Odds’ category at the 2026 York Community Pride Awards. Joanne and Matthew have also worked in collaboration with fashion students at York College on a project to design a range of vibrant, bold, fun shift dress with concealed zips.

The debut collection includes a sweatshirt and two trouser options:

The unisex Loci hooded sweatshirt with two neck zips which extend to the armpit, two sleeve openings, a central kangaroo pouch with a wide zip that opens to access stoma bags, peg feeds and catheters, and for ultrasounds. Retail price £99.95

Jogger bottoms with a shirred elasticated front waistband, concealed side seam zips from waist to knee and draw cord ankle cuffs. Retail price £79.95

Jogger bottoms with elasticated waistband, concealed side seam zips from waist to knee and drawcord ankle cuffs. Retail price £79.95

All items are available in Ocean Grey and come in dual sizes: Extra small-small, small-medium, medium-large, large-extra large, and extra large-two extra large.

The clothing is manufactured from 100% organic cotton, making it comfortable, breathable, warm and washable. The garments boast subtle design features, including contrasting-coloured functional zip pulls for easy access, branded zip tags featuring the wording ‘for Emily’, woven EmAble branding to the front and a woven branded badge on the reverse ‘for Emily’.

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