Rachel’s Cure by Design is so much more than just a place where you can get fabulous, hand-crafted pieces of jewelry. It’s one young woman’s journey of overcoming a serious illness through her creativity and passion—and helping countless others in the process. Over the past ten years, Rachel, (though she is only twenty-two!) with the support of her family and amazing team, has created a one-of-a-kind charity. Despite the fact that RCBD was founded only six years ago in 2009, the organization has grown to include more than thirty charity partners. Her mother, Linda Tobin, gave us a great insight into this wonderful, Pittsburgh organization.
MM: What inspired Rachel’s Cure by Design? How did it begin?
LT: Rachel was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when she was 12. That was a big diagnosis for Rachel and our family, and it required us all to make many adjustments to our everyday life. At the time, Rachel’s grandmother was taking a beading class, and Rachel went with her to a few classes. She loved what she was learning and decided that she would make a few bracelets to sell and raise money for JDRF (at the time it was known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). She had hoped to raise a couple hundred dollars.
That was 10 years ago. After a few years of making jewelry as somewhat of a hobby and raising money for JDRF, Rachel and I, along with a family friend, Margie Dubner, decided to grow the business by adding an internet site and expanding our fundraising efforts.
MM: Was there anyone else who was a big supporter of Rachel in her journey to establish Rachel’s Cure?
LT: Rachel has been surrounded with love and support all of her life. Her T1D diagnosis; however, has made us all more aware of the need to pay attention to our bodies and our nutrition. Her family and medical specialists have inspired her greatly.
MM: Tell me about the design process for the pieces RCBD sells?
LT: Rachel is a great designer with a fabulous eye for fashion and color, and she stays on top of trends. We are constantly introducing new pieces to our collections. We are always adding new beads, gems, metals and leathers to our inventory. We believe that what truly differentiates us is our attention to quality. We don’t cut corners when it comes to our choice of materials. All pieces are handmade with love in our studio by the RCBD team.MM: What should buyers of Rachel’s jewelry know about the proceeds of the charity?
LT: Rachel is so proud to have established RCBD as a social entrepreneurship. From the sale of every piece (with the exception of medical alert jewelry), $10 is donated to the charity of the customer’s choice. We have 38 organizations to choose from so far. You can fundraise individually or with your organization through corporate or family teams. If customers do not select a charity, the default is JDRF.
MM: What’s next for Rachel?
LT: Rachel started out 10 years ago wanting to raise a couple hundred dollars for JDRF, and she has raised more than $80,000 for JDRF and other causes, too. Her immediate goal is to reach $100,000, and we’re confident that we’ll do it soon. This has been a big year for Rachel. This fall, she started medical school. Her commitment to helping others extends beyond RCBD and is now her life’s mission.
If you want to shop for a beautiful piece, and support your favorite charity, visit the website.
