KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A local designer is giving a voice to various causes with her jewelry.

"It's sort of like wearing what you're passionate about on your sleeve," said Shelly DeMotte, of Whirly Girls.

DeMotte calls it cause-related jewelry. KMBC's Natalie Moultrie reported that she makes bracelets that help raise awareness and money for numerous issues, from arthritis and Huntington's disease, to heart disease.

"Women don't buy for awareness of heart disease, they tend to buy more because they lost a father to heart disease," DeMotte said.

DeMotte creates these unique designs right in her kitchen. The company, Whirly Girls, also sells other pieces, but the ones that make an impact and symbolize a purpose, are ones like the breast cancer bracelets. DeMotte said that the bracelets often become a link for women in a time of trouble.

After receiving letters from women touched by her work, DeMotte and her partner created the Whirly Awards. She said that thousands of people have been writing in nominations, and women across the country are getting the awards.

"We call it random acts of whirliness," DeMotte said.

The award is a bracelet that reminds women of their cause, their struggle and their courage.

Moultrie reported that Whirly Girls' AIDS and breast cancer awareness bracelets even made it to Hollywood. They were featured in gift bags for the Grammy Awards this year.

If you would like more information on Whirly Girls or would like to nominate someone for a Whirly Girls' award, visit www.whirlygirls.com.