Neda Behnam launches Diamonds For A Cure

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Neda Behnam launches Diamonds For A Cure

Proceeds from jewelry line to benefit cancer research

May 05, 2009

This diamond dog tag pendant in 18-karat red gold is one of Diamonds For a Cure's most popular pieces. The design is from the line's "Symbolic Collection;" suggested retail price is $2,600.

New York--Jewelry designer Neda Behnam, a breast cancer survivor for 10 years, has been giving a portion of herself to breast cancer awareness efforts for years, but the celebrated designer recently upped the ante and changed the game plan.

After multiple commissions, creating jewelry here and there for various companies that would sell the pieces and then use a portion of proceeds to benefit breast cancer awareness causes, Behnam decided to make the business of giving an official one.

In March of 2009, Behnam launched Diamonds For A Cure (DFAC), a new line that will donate a percentage of sales from its diamond jewelry collections to one sole beneficiary, Stand Up To Cancer, an organization working to find a cure for various cancers through critical and innovative research.

"My vision of this name and this idea was that it's global," Behnam says. "Cancer is something that affects everybody. It doesn't matter where you live, what your social status is, your financial status--it's there."

So for Behnam, it was important that price points for the products ranged from the very inexpensive and attainable to the high end.

"We want to create something accessible to everyone," Behnam says. "Everyone buys diamond jewelry. To be doing that and giving to a good cause is what we want to promote."

Pieces are currently divided into two collections: the "Symbolic Collection," featuring pendants, rings and earrings, with retail prices ranging from $299 to more than $2,000, and the "Red Carpet Collection," featuring one-of-a-kind pieces and couture-level designs.

DFAC has quickly been gaining buzz, with a bevy of celebrities already having worn the pieces, from country crooner Reba McEntire and American Idol judge Paula Abdul to cast members of the CW's new 90210 show, among a number of others. Men haven't been immune to the call of the line either, with Dancing With the Stars' Cristian de la Fuente and E! News' Jason Kennedy having donned DFAC pieces, too.

A 25-year industry veteran, Behnam remains busy traveling the world to collaborate with goldsmiths, and she also appears regularly as a guest host on ShopNBC, but DFAC has particular meaning to the designer.

"This is all very close to my heart," Behnam says. "Right now, my biggest dream would be to see cancer eradicated, and Stand Up To Cancer has that vision."

For more information about Diamonds For A Cure and Stand Up To Cancer, visit DiamondsForACure.com and StandUp2Cancer.org, respectively.

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