When I was about 15 years old, I decided to finally create my own all natural, organic skincare line inspired by my greek heritage, especially my grandmother’s ultimate skincare secret to youthful, healthy skin; Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. With the help of amazing friends, family, and mentors, Calithea Goddess Skincare was officially launched in January of 2018 with the goal of providing consumers with all-natural products that would help them embrace their own unique, natural beauty.
While we have certainly succeeded in creating a high quality line of natural products that our customers love, there has always been another driving purpose behind Calithea that’s very close to my heart. Within the first few years of building my own business, I wanted to find a way to use the company’s future success in an impactful, philanthropic way, and given my own family’s experiences with St. Judes research hospital, I knew this charity which was so close to all our hearts was the best fit.
Back in 2019, my younger brother, Elias, was diagnosed with cancer at just 12 years old. More specifically, Elias was diagnosed with Anaplastic Astrocytoma of the brain stem, which is a rare and aggressive type of brain tumor. This terrifying discovery took such a toll on him and my family. For the next 10 weeks, my parents were with Elias at St. Jude’s in Memphis, TN while, though just a sophmore in highschool, I stayed back home in Pittsburgh, PA with my older brother, Peter, as we “held down the fort” while they were gone. Peter and I both remember this scary, great unknown our family was facing, and how it pushed us to grow up faster than most kids our age. My parents had to put everything on hold to support their sick child. Elias however had the toughest challenge ahead of him, fighting for his life and enduring countless rounds of radiation and chemotherapy treatments.
With the generous support of St. Jude, Elias, my family, and I came out of this experience stronger than ever before. Though Elias still faces a tough journey ahead of him to full remission, he has truly become my hero and I learn from him more and more each day.
While my family and I are so thankful for the support we received while my brother was fighting his battle with cancer, there are still so many young children and families struggling each day, praying for support and advancements in treatment. I’m proud of the partnership Calithea has formed with St. Jude, and hope that we can spread further awareness of this amazing charity even more!
With each order of Calithea Goddess Skincare, we donate a dollar to support St. Jude’s research hospital and their amazing efforts to support children suffering from cancer and their families, as well as crucial life-saving research. In the month of September, which is childhood cancer awareness month, we double our donations for all orders made in that timeframe.
If you haven’t had the chance, check out my recent interview with Pittsburgh Today Live where we discuss Calithea’s giveback program.
~ Elena xoxo
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease
Sources:
[1] Local Girl’s Small Business Raising Money For St. Jude Hospital – YouTube
[2] Calithea Cares St.Jude – YouTube
[3] Impact the lives of St. Jude kids – St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (stjude.org)
