On October 30, 2002, Patti Litman was a retired professional chef turned wife and stay-at-home mom who, as her children got older, had taken up designing and making jewelry. At first, it was mostly for herself and for gifts to friends and family but over time, more and more people began to ask to buy her jewelry. Thus, her hobby began turning into a business; however, it was never about "making money!" Ultimately, Patti saw this as a vehicle for her to be able to give something back. Being a woman in Marin County, California (with the highest concentration of breast cancer in the United States), and having close friends who have been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer, Patti committed to give a portion of all her sale proceeds from her fledgling jewelry business to organizations involved in providing support and services for women with breast cancer. Her subsequent contacts with these organizations and the people who were so passionately involved, reinforced her desire to do as much as she could. She didn't know what it would ultimately amount to but it was her way of trying to make a difference.