Bringing Confidence to Women Through Jewelry
story by Jordan Pupa
At just six weeks old, Grace DuBose was diagnosed with an extremely rare blood vessel tumor called Kaposiform Hemangioendothelioma. She had less than a 10 percent chance of living. However, by the grace of God, she survived. Later in life, at the young age of 24, Grace was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Her situation of battling cancer could lead to feelings of defeat, however, Grace’s positive attitude throughout her journey has inspired her to help others. Grace started a jewelry line, Glam & Grace, aimed to increase confidence in women through simple, fun pieces of jewelry that will make them feel fabulous!
Grace was born and raised in Florence, where she graduated from West Florence High School then later from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Theatre and Broadcast Communications. It wasn’t until college that she developed a real relationship with God. She shares, “I battled with depression in college and after trying many ways to help cope with that depression I found that I was losing hope, so I decided to turn to God. The only place I felt hope and happiness was going to a local church, and that’s when I truly began to experience what it meant to have a relationship with Jesus.” Grace joined a bible study, found a mentor, and found herself turning to Christ, especially during tough times. Two years later she felt herself drifting away and turned to God for answers as she struggled to find her purpose in life. Grace had dreams of being an actress, though that dream faded and led her to feeling confused and hopeless. “I asked God to help me make a decision for my future because I felt lost,” she explains. “Most importantly, I asked him to come back in my life again, to change my life somehow, to do something. Little did I know that ‘something’ would be cancer.”
Grace was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on May 21, 2018. Two months prior she noticed a swollen lymph node near her collarbone. A cat scan was done and bloodwork was taken. The cat scan revealed a cluster of enlarged lymph nodes. A biopsy lead to the final diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “It was the weirdest thing because I remember I had no fear,” explains Grace. “Well, I did have one fear and that was losing my hair, but other than that, I felt fine. In that moment I remember feeling complete peace in my heart that only God can give. It was unexplainable. I just knew that I was meant to go through this. It’s part of my purpose that I was looking to find.” Grace currently receives chemo treatments every two weeks with two treatments left. Then, three weeks of radiation will follow.
Creativity runs in Grace’s family. She turned to jewelry-making as a fun craft after chemo days due to not being able to read or watch TV because of nausea. “Since being diagnosed with this cancer, I have gained weight, lost some of my hair, and have been exhausted,” says Grace. “I have felt horrible about myself. I have struggled with self-confidence.” After much sadness, she realized she had a choice. She could either allow the cancer to destroy her self-confidence, or she could change her perspective. Her change of attitude led her to develop a new jewelry line called Glam & Grace, with hopes of bringing confidence to many other women no matter their personal situation through fabulous jewelry pieces. Each piece is handmade and original. You can currently find Glam & Grace at Pieces in Florence.
Grace is still trying to figure out how to use all her passions to make a difference in the world. She hopes to start selling Glam & Grace in other boutiques in different cities. She also wants to continue to give back to others. She has helped out with the youth group at First Presbyterian for multiple years and hopes to get involved with a cancer organization in the future. “As far as changes go, I hope to really start focusing on taking action and making some kind of difference. I’ve learned through this experience that each day is a gift. If you have a drive to make a difference, don’t hold back!”
Grace & Glam can be purchased at:
Pieces Boutique, 1228 Celebration Blvd, Florence
Blush – A Merle Norman Studio, 115 N. 5th St., Hartsville