Mama Bracelets LLC, an online jewelry business since 2010, has re-opened its cyber doors after several weeks and is keeping the charity, Families of SMA, in its sight.

The owners of MB have developed many different designs over the past two years and have made a name for themselves in the online jewelry business. The main focus of the business, which started in early 2011, is to support and raise funds for various organizations through the sale of exclusively designed jewelry.

Mama Bracelets designed the Maddie Angel Bracelet and Halo Bracelet to support research and awareness for sudden infant death syndrome. It also has supported Rett Syndrome, designed an autism awareness bracelet and created a LUNGevity Breathe Deep lung cancer awareness bracelet.

“We enjoy working closely with people and organizations, all the while making significant donations to their causes through our sales," said owner Lindsay Casten.

In August 2011, Lindsay and her husband, Michael, a teacher in Elmhurst District 205, were told their daughter Ella had a rare genetic disease known as Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 2. She was 15 months old at the time.

SMA causes motor neurons responsible for movement, eating and breathing to die off causing extreme muscle atrophy and early death most commonly due to respiratory complications. The lifespan for their daughter is projected to be anywhere from early childhood to early adulthood, depending on her overall health as time goes by.

“We were beside ourselves,” said Michael. "We just didn’t know what to do. We knew right away that part of our job now was to take the best care of Ella to keep her alive until treatments or a cure is found.”

Lindsay set out to design a Cure SMA jewelry collection and launched it as quickly as possible. The Castens decided to donate 30 percent of all Cure SMA sales directly to Families of SMA to help support research. Mama Bracelets generated more than $2,200 for FSMA before they closed their cyber doors in early 2012.

Ella developed RSV and pneumonia. She was hospitalized for one week and introduced to several machines that are designed to help kids with SMA.

“We needed a break from the business so we could focus our energy on our children,” Lindsay said.

The Castens, who live in Naperville, have developed routines with Ella and their other two children, Ava, 5, and Henry, 3, and decided that the summer 2012 will be the re-opening of Mama Bracelets. Lindsay designed new Cure SMA products, along with a few other products as well. They have decided to slim down their product line and begin their re-launch with hand-stamped items and Cure SMA products.

“We are starting out on the conservative side and hoping things stay manageable. Then we’ll look at developing some more new products," Michael said. "We are happy to be making the Cure SMA collection, though, and even happier to be donating the 30 percent of sales to FSMA. It’s where the hope for Ella and so many other children lies—in the research.

Visit Mama Bracelets at www.mamabracelets.com