Sister Act

My grandmother’s initial pendant is my can’t-leave-home-without-it accessory. She wore it everyday…and now so do I.

Recently, I spoke with two sisters whose entire business is making the kind of personalized jewelry you won’t want to take off. Sandra Cosicher and Brandee Cosicher Goldstein created Jewelry By 3 Sisters shortly after their younger sister, Katherine, passed away from a severe asthma attack last year. Since then, they’ve learned to pay tribute through the pieces they create, as well as the process of jewelry making itself. Their collection, which has been featured on the “Today” show, is filled with monograms, custom engravings, and words of inspiration—it’s truly jewelry with meaning.

Q: How did Jewelry By 3 Sisters come about?

A: After Katherine passed away we felt we needed to do something productive and creative as a means to help coping with our loss. So, Sandra took some jewelry making classes to increase her skills and do some art therapy and she began making some wonderful pieces. Eventually, we incorporated ourselves and came up with the name in order to include Katherine as she would have loved to be a part of this and she would have been our biggest promoter and fan.

Q: Do you design all the jewelry?

A: We do design most of our pieces. One was even inspired by a tattoo that Katherine wanted of a frog. We actually donate a portion of sales from that piece to asthma awareness.  For the most part, all of the pieces are personalized and original creations.

Q: What’s it like working with family?

A: We all have different roles in the company. Brandee has always been in sales and public relations and I [Sandra] have always had a passion for creating things, so our roles are kind of designated by our personalities. This holiday season we had such an amazing turnout that our mom got involved. Even our little brother, Aarie, gives a great opinion!

Q: Growing up with three sisters, there must have been a lot of accessorizing in your house. Even as kids, were you all into jewelry and fashion?

A: OF COURSE! Katherine being much younger than us always made out like a bandit because we gave her whatever she wanted. This was a 16-year-old girl who had every designer in her closest…thanks to her sisters! She was definitely the most fashionable sister -- we made sure of it.

Take a look at some of the sisters’ favorite pieces and go to JewelryBy3Sisters.com to check out the whole collection:

Sandra’s Pick: Leaves with Single Letter, $155
Made from recycled metal, this initial pendant is part of the sisters’ green-inspired line.

Brandee’s Pick: Infinite Love and Infinite Life, $275
This 3-D design was actually inspired by a pendant their grandmother wore all the time.

Skinny Contest:  In honor of Katherine and increasing asthma awareness, one lucky Skinny reader will win their very own personalized pendant.  Simply share your experience here or by e-mail, on how asthma has affected you or someone you know, and we will pick one winner to receive the pendant of your choice.  Make sure to check out the JewelryBy3Sisters.com website and identify which pendant you'd like to win if chosen.  Entries must be received by Thursday June 17 5p EST.

Comments (13)

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Thursday June 10, 2010 Stefanie wrote:

... I remember in high school when I was on the cross country running team, my friend and teammate Jen had severe asthma. She would work so hard at running and often times could barely breathe by the end of the race. Every race I ran I was inspired by her because no matter how bad her asthma was, she never gave up and always finished. One time she even had to stop in a race to take her inhaler, but she never let her asthma stop her. She taught me to always try my best and never let your obstacles stop you. I would love to win this jewelry because it is so inspiring. I would choose the inspirational engravings necklace, I love the Dream.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Kimberly Cage wrote:

... I worked as a office nurse for a allergy/asthma doctor specializing in pediatrics for over 10 yrs.
Seeing young children dealing with this debilitating disease with such courage was such an inspiration to me. they showed me that if you really set your mind to doing something, you can accomplish it. I would choose the Infinite Life pendant to celebrate that every day of living is a gift.

Thursday June 10, 2010 madeline wrote:

... Mom I am not breathing too good was all she said and in the car to the hospital we went. I had done this many a time before and have had to sit up all night in the ER waiting for their breathing to return to normal. After a bout with the flu at Christmas time giving a breathing treatment from one child to the next around the clock, I (when it was all over) found myself walking around in circles in my backyard needing medication myself!!
This time was differant however. They took her immediately into the ER and started with the treatments. One, two, three treatments they gave her and shook their head. Four, five and six and still shaking heads. There was no room to sit there that night so they got her a chair and I stood. I had to be strong for her. "Look at the lady making absolutely no sense! Ha" Meanwhile I was sick inside looking at my petite young daughter fighting to breath.
Usually they were able to break the attack wth all the children, if we couldnt first at home but this they calmly mentioned that they may want to keep her for the night! Here I was lying next to her in the bed, usually a little defiant teenage firecracker, now holding on to me for dear life, asking me if she was going to be ok. They kept coming in trying everything, shaking their head. At one point I found myself in the bathroom hysterical crying to my husband that i was afraid that she was not going to make it! Then had to pick myself up, hide the tears, and put a smile on for Aly and start praying. We prayed together that night and held on to each other the way we did when she was an infant. She was the one most like me in both looks and demeanor. I felt helpless watching her chest rise and fall with such labor. She was hooked up to all kinds of tubes and machines. The nurse said that she was on everything that she could be on and the pulmonary specialist was doing all he could.
It took all night, but she finally did break the attack. I will never forget the fear in her eyes and my absolute helplessness of not being able to "make it all better". I went on to become an Outreach Service Coordinator for the Mothers of Asthmatics and this little firecracker is still just that but now a healthy controlled asthmatic and will be 19 this July. She is my youngest and she is precious. I absolutely love the infinate love and life because that is how I feel towards by children and husband. As our lives grow together so does our love and it is deeply infinate.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Debbie Kerwin wrote:

... My sister also died from an asthma attack. She had suffered for many years but none of us had any idea this terrible disease could be fatal. She was all alone and had an attack at 3:00 am called the paramedics and when they arrived 11 minutes later she was already gone. I think people who are related to someone with asthma should become educated and very aware of the possibilities. My sister was a funny, pretty whacky friend, sister, and mother of six. I her younger sister by 16 years became the mother figure to her children, even though her oldest is only 4 years younger than I. We are are close and love to share funny stories about Shanna, the sister and mother who left us.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Tracy Wolfe wrote:

... I, myself, have been very affected by asthma. I have had asthma every since I was 5. I remember when I was little and having to learn how to swollow a pill everyday. I remember the bad asthma attacks and the feeling of not being able to get any air and trips to the emergency room. My first couple of years of high school were very hard. I didn't do any sports because I was always having troubles breathing and exercise made it worse. However, my junior year, I decided not to let it prevent me from sports. I played volleyball that year and always kept my inhaler close, puffing from it whenever I needed to continue. Later that year I decided to join the track team. I had a lot of friends running. I remember practices just trying to finish a 200m run and barely being able to catch my breath at the end. But, my coach never gave up on me. He was always there by my side encouraging me, while the other kids were off running farther runs. I ended up doing track my last two years of high school and it made me feel so much better about myself. When I got to college and beyond, I quit running. My asthma slowly got under control better with better meds. About 5 years ago, after gaining lots of weight, I decided to give exercising a try again. I started out bike riding, always with my trusty inhaler by my side. Then slowly started running again. Now, I run half marathons, and am training for my first marathon. I barely ever use my rescue inhaler anymore. I still take meds and an inhaler every day, but my asthma is very well controlled.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Patrice Browne wrote:

... Asthma has effected my life and my family since I was born. I have suffered from asthma for 21 years of my life; and my father also has asthma. My parents and I had been buying many expensive medications and running in and out of doctor's offices trying to find my triggers other than participating in physical activities. My mother struggled to understand how we felt struggling to breathe. I felt that I was the only girl in my high school, until I met my best friend when I saw her use her inhaler! we automatically bonded and we exchanged medical ideas to suppress our attacks. I am happy to say that I haven't endured a severe attack for 2 years now;Thanks to the support of my family and friends, I hope to continue living and meeting and inspiring others who also have asthma.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Meagan wrote:

... Terror fills inside you as you can feel your lungs start to close up and restrict. Another attack. Another trip to the emergency room. Another day that I am unable to finish school. The choir performance that is interrupted by the girl that is rushed out by paramedics fighting for her life.

My diagnosis of Asthma came when I was seven years old, shortly after my parents divorced. In the beginning, it was occasional wheezing, no big deal. Then a massive attack hit when I was 10. After that, it was one severe attack after another. My middle school years were marked with trips to specialist, almost weekly trips to the emergency room, and tears because I couldn't just be normal like everyone else. My biggest wish was to make it through a week of school, a month of school without having to leave because of another attack. I became well known in the school office, not as an outstanding student, but as the one that as soon as I entered the office, everyone was on their feet rushing to get me medicine.

Starting my breathing treatments, listening to the loud, roaring sound of my nebulizer, wish it would just disappear. Wishing I could just disappear. There was no hiding the fact that I was struggling to breath. People walk by watching, staring, listening. Those were very difficult years for me. The saddness overwhelmed as I was constantly reminded I was different. That I couldn't do what everyone else did.

I went through high school and my early adulthood struggling with my asthma. Started a career in banking, still having to suffer the horror of leaving in a ambulance because another attack became severe. Others still stared, watching in concern.

I suffered, was hospitalized, but didn't die. I struggled on. Now I am a mother of three beautiful daughters and every day I pray that they never have to fight the battle that I did. My six year old, Abby, was born five weeks early. She spent a week in the NICU with an oxygen dome over her head because she was unable to breath and get enough oxygen without it. Now when she gets sick, we have to pull out the dreaded neubulizer. I pray that she doesn't grow into the childhood that I did.

Luckily for me, I grew out of the worst of it. I still struggle with wheezing, but havent suffered from a severe attack in years. For that I am blessed.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Melanie Friesen wrote:

... Asthma has always been something I was aware of, with a sister and father who suffer(ed) from asthma. Fortunately, my sister seems to have had my father's asthma, which he "grew out", in college. I have fortunately, escaped most of the asthma related problems that run in my family, but had a very scary incident in college when I was placed on a medication that gave me asthma type attacks for several days, even after I stopped taking it. It was one of the scariest times of my life, that feeling of being unable to breathe.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Kathryn wrote:

... I didn't know much about asthma until my 14 year old son was diagnosed with it when he was 3. Until he was diagnosed, he spent several nights in the hospital on several different occasions starting when he was just a couple of months old. They called it "croup" until it was finally determined to be asthma. How scary it is! How awful to sit with a little one who cannot breathe! Nebulizers, medication, allergy testing, closed windows, missed social gatherings and school. Asthma has robbed my son of a lot of the things that childhood is known for. Luckily, as he has gotten older, it has lessened its hold on him as we have found the right mixture of control meds for his particular condition. Thank God for science and discovery and modern medicine!

Thursday June 10, 2010 Leslie wrote:

... My sister has had asthma her entire life. When I was 12 and she was 16, she had an asthmatic reaction to sulfur and I had to give her CPR on our garage floor. Her heart stopped twice in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Miraculously the paramedics were able to save her life. She was in a coma for a week and then started rehab. It is the scariest thing that has ever happened in our family. Today she is 30 years old and I can’t imagine life without her. You two (Brandee and Sandra) are so brave! Much love to your family.

I would love to win the Swirly Monogram (AHJ) in silver as a gift to my sister.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Amy R wrote:

... My younger Brother suffered from Asthma when we were kids. He still has it now but it is more manageable. It was so scary. I am lucky that my kids do not have it as severe as he did.

I love the Infinite Love Infinite Life pendant! It is beautiful and has a great meaning.

Thursday June 10, 2010 Sue wrote:

... My stepmom has suffered from severe asthma since she was in her 30s. Several memories come to mind when I think of how her asthma has affected my life, but I think the worst was when we were on an amusement park ride and she started to have an asthma attack. She had left her inhaler with a friend who had opted not to ride with us. I was terrified and could not get the attendant's attention. Luckily for us, the ride stopped moments (which felt like hours) later and her friend had seen my distress so she came rushing to us with the inhaler, so a true crisis was averted but still very scary.

My stepmom loves butterflies and she would love the customize your wings pendant.

Friday June 11, 2010 Linda Lowber wrote:

... I developed bronchial asthma as a very young child and only in recent years have I had to have an inhaler ready if I need it. Last summer I was scheduled for arthroscopic knee surgery but pre-op test results brought everything to a screeching halt. Both my cardiac & pulmonary tests were questionable. I underwent a series of tests with 2 different specialists that resulted in a lung biopsy to be done after I recuperated from knee surgery. I was told that the pulmonary tests weren't conclusive enough bringing about the biopsy. It was done right after Thanksgiving in 2009. I was told cancer hadn't been ruled out yet. When the results came back, the diagnosis was interstitial lung disease--no cancer. What a feeling of relief that was. Six months later, I am about 40 lbs. lighter,
on 3 meds plus the inhaler as needed and I work out 5x a wk. @ the gym-2 of those days include a new form of exercise called Zumba. Despite the fact that my right bronchial tube is compromised, I am grateful for all I can still do. God has truly blessed me with continuing good health.

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