Rachel’s mom Barb was diagnosed with lupus at just 21 years old. Growing up, Rachel remembers that lupus was “simply part of our life.” Her mom raised her and her brother as a single parent, and worked as an elementary school special education teacher. 

“From the outside, you probably wouldn’t have known she was living with lupus,” Rachel shared. “But behind the scenes she coped with symptoms daily.” 

Rachel remembers her mom always having extremely stiff joints, sharing she can still picture her constantly opening and closing her hands because moving them helped. She would rub knots out of her mom's back to give her some relief – but her mom rarely complained. 

In June 2018 Barb suffered a heart attack that led to organ failure – and while Rachel had to painfully say goodbye to her mom, she knew she wanted to do something to carry on her legacy and make a difference. 

“My mom was selfless, welcoming, loving, hilarious, and incredibly strong. To know her was to love her,” Rachel shared. 

Rachel founded Inspira in 2020. She wanted to bring high-quality, affordable athleisure to women – but she also wanted the brand to stand for something more. That’s why she chose to use Inspira to honor her mom’s legacy. 

“Our butterfly logo holds a special, personal meaning. Butterflies have always reminded me of my mom. When I see one, I feel like she’s reminding me she’s still with me. The connection between the butterfly and lupus—including the butterfly-shaped rash associated with the disease—has given our logo another layer of meaning I never could have planned,” said Rachel. 

And, since 2021, Inspira has given back – donating 1% of sales from a curated collection of the brand’s clothing line back to the Lupus Foundation of America and using its platform to raise awareness about the disease so more people understand lupus. 

“I wish more people understood how differently lupus affects each person – and how much of the disease is invisible. Someone living with lupus may look completely fine while their body is fighting something you cannot see,” shared Rachel. 

Over the last five years Rachel has shared that she continues to be amazed how often someone tells her that they are impacted by lupus, whether themselves or a family member. Rachel reflects that “Those moments always hit home. They remind me that behind every statistic is a person, a family, and a story. They remind me why awareness matters and why research matters.” 

Rachel’s aunt also lives with lupus, and her brand not only carries her mom’s legacy – but it stands for people like her aunt and each person living with lupus, so they know that there are people fighting alongside them. 

“I started Inspira to honor one woman—my mom—but I hope what we’re building can make an impact for so many more.” 

Check out Inspira’s Purple for Purpose collection – 1% of all sales is donated back to the Lupus Foundation of America, in honor of Barb and each person touched by lupus. 

Do you have a company that wants to get involved with the Lupus Foundation of America? Learn more about becoming a partner.