HomeFeaturesAZ Giving › AZ Giving: Sisters with Heart
 
 
 

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One is a racecar driver, adrenaline junkie and the other is an entrepreneur, fashionista but together these young, dynamic sisters are taking the road less traveled in both their careers and their passion for giving back.  A self-proclaimed tomboy, 30-year-old Sarah Cattaneo got bit by the racing bug after her dad gave her a four-day driving class at the Bondurant Racing School in Chandler. “It was love at first lap,” she says. Sarah has now been competing for eight seasons in pro racing and the bar is set high. “I sure hope I can be the Danica Patrick of road racing," she says, enthusiastically.

When not behind the wheel, Sarah with her younger sister, 26-year-old Michelle Cattaneo, are co-founders of a jewelry rental company in Phoenix called I Do Borrow. “We didn’t have the right jewelry for an event,” Sarah says, “so we Googled rental jewelry, and found only one Web site and it was sold out for months and we thought to ourselves, we can do this.”

Michelle, like her sister, has dual careers also working in commercial real estate but regardless of both their busy schedules, they carve out time for volunteering and giving back. “I volunteered at a no-kill animal rescue for two years in college,” says Michelle, “and I absolutely loved it.” A love these sisters and Arizona natives credit their parents for nurturing. “Our mother was a great role model. She was always involved in different charities,” says Sarah.  Michelle agrees, “They have influenced me to make a difference and help people.”

The Cattaneo sisters are two of the youngest members to join the 2016 Phoenix Heart Ball committee. Since 1959, the organization and its generous donors have raised more than $30 million to fight heart disease and stroke in the Valley, a cause that’s close and personal to Sarah and Michelle. “Our cousin died of a sudden heart attack at 46, and he was one of the healthiest people I know,” says Sarah. Not only do they believe in the Heart Ball mission, but they also hope to use their age and enthusiasm to inspire others. “ I want to influence my peers by helping in any way that they can,” says Michelle. “Not only have I met wonderful people along the way,” says Sarah, “ but the joy of giving back is a feeling like nothing else.” A feeling that can’t be duplicated according to this tomboy and cheerleader and that’s because that feeling comes straight from the heart.