All my business decisions were made from my heart and I’ve always believed that just being part of a bigger, loving community is much more valuable than the conventional way to scale a business,” says Bella Caetano, owner and designer of the jewelry line Bellina Caetano. And her latest business decision is a partnership with Cancer Wellness magazine. Known for her elegant, gemstone-laden designs, Caetano has crafted a 10-piece collection of rings, necklaces and bracelets ($48-$138) for cancer warriors, thrivers and their supporters to bring grace and femininity into their everyday lives. Twenty percent of sales from the line will be donated to a charity voted on by Cancer Wellness readers.
For Caetano, deciding to work with Cancer Wellness stemmed from her familial roots. Caetano herself and her brand is named after her paternal grandmother. “I never met her because she died of cancer,” Caetano says. “I was the very first woman to be born in the family after she passed.”
Caetano’s collaboration with Cancer Wellness, then, was created with intention.
“I believe the world has enough products and I don’t want mine to just be one more,” she says. “I have felt in the past that it really helps me to put the product in the world if it has a meaning.” Caetano asked herself questions like why she wanted to design these pieces and what she wanted to say. “What elements could I put into this design that would speak louder than a necklace?” she asked.
One such element was the use of rose quartz. The gemstone represents universal love and is known for its ability to cultivate inner healing and a deep sense of peace.
“I had no doubt when I chose that because I think that for us to have a break from the pain that [is] going through cancer, all we need is love,” she says. “The medications and all of that support is necessary, but at the end of the day, I think just bringing a little bit of energy that represents love is the master healer.”
Caetano calls that energy “magical hope” and believes the rose quartz can provide a sense of grounding during a time in one’s life when confusion and anxiety abound.
And although she initially created the pieces for warriors, Caetano now believes her collection can empower people on many different areas of the cancer spectrum—from warriors to thrivers to supporters. Caetano’s father’s dream was to become a professional soccer player in Paraguay, but that dream was cut short when his mother was diagnosed with cancer and he began taking care of her.
“It really made me think about the people going through it with [a warrior],” she says. “Like how strong those people have to be […] It is a little break from what cancer is. For them to feel gracefully bold—those who have it and the one going through it with them.”
Purchase Bellina Caetano’s Cancer Wellness collection online at bellinacaetano.com or in-store (900 N. Michigan Ave., Level 5, Chicago). To vote on which charity will receive 20 percent of the proceeds from the collection, visit Cancer Wellness on Instagram at instagram.com/cancerwellmag.
