Sports
Motherhood and Lu Cachem's Break From Law
An extremely premature birth led the triathlete to trade law for childcare, paving the way for athletics.
Lu Cachem reflects on leaving her legal career behind after her second son was born extremely premature. Her full-time dedication to her family ultimately paved the way for discovering running and triathlon.
Lu Cachem's journey in sports and jewelry design is deeply rooted in a profound personal turning point. Before diving headfirst into the world of triathlon and Ironman, she practiced law. The sudden halt to her legal career came with the arrival of her second son, Diego, who was born extremely premature at six months gestation, weighing just 2.2 pounds.
Medical complications began during pregnancy due to the baby's urinary issue. Following intrauterine procedures and punctures, Lu's placenta ruptured, leading to an emergency delivery with a life-threatening hemorrhage. Diego spent three months in critical condition in the neonatal ICU, underwent multiple surgeries, and suffered hearing loss as a side effect of the necessary medications administered during that time.
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With a newborn requiring intensive monitoring and an older son just two years and ten months old at home—without a nearby family support network, as relatives lived in Rio de Janeiro—Lu made an immediate choice: she never even returned to the law firm to collect her belongings.
Life at home and the power of maternal presence
Lu embraced the decision to leave her legal career without regrets. The full-time period dedicated to her children's recovery and development transformed her relationship with family life. Years later, the rewards of that dedication became clear: Diego is now studying advertising at ESPM, working alongside his mother, and swimming for his college team, while her eldest son graduated in economics and also stays active in sports.
Sports as a sanctuary and personal rediscovery
As Diego's medical routine and monitoring stabilized, Lu found sports to be an essential outlet for self-care, weight management, and socializing. The flexibility of being home allowed her to fit training sessions around family care—a balance that would have been nearly impossible amidst the demanding pace of a traditional law firm.
Running opened doors to a new circle of friends and eventually to triathlon. Among the memorable highlights of this era, Lu points to competing in the traditional Volta à Ilha relay in Florianópolis, an event she ran for roughly six consecutive years traveling with groups of friends. The experience provided a much-needed breath of fresh air away from the round-the-clock demands of motherhood, cementing an endurance passion that would ultimately shape her professional life.
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