Wear Yellow
Category: Society & Culture...
Posted Tuesday, June 29, 2004 at 03:42 PM [GMT-6]

I have a friend and former co-worker named Sherry. She is younger than me (several years younger, in fact) and she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. This diagnosis seemed doubly harsh, coming only a couple of weeks after she lost her mom to brain cancer.

Sherry's medical prognosis is excellent. Following surgery last week, the doctors found no evidence of cancer cells in the lymph glands, and it's likely that she'll recover fully and completely, following a round of chemo just to make sure that any stray cells get zapped. It's a cliché, but it's also true: she's a fighter and she'll win this fight.

Visiting with her and her husband on Sunday afternoon made me think about ways to show some tangible support for her. Coincidentally, the new edition of Bicycling Magazine arrived the day before, and I came across a full-page ad while skimming through it yesterday. The ad is for "Wear Yellow," a campaign which is a joint creation of Nike and the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF). The LAF was created to provide support, education and other resources for cancer survivors; everyone knows the remarkable story about Armstrong's own bout with the disease.

"Wear Yellow" is an allusion to the yellow jersey worn by the Tour de France leader, the jersey worn at the end of five such races by Armstrong. It's a symbol of victory in the face of tremendous challenges, and it's a fitting symbol for the cause of supporting cancer survivors.

Instead of a jersey, "Wear Yellow" supporters purchase a yellow silicone rubber wristband imprinted with the words "LiveStrong." Bands can be purchased for a buck apiece in packs of 10, 100 or 1,200 via this website, or you can buy individual bands at Nike stores or via Nike's website. I've ordered a 10 pack, and plan to give bands to some mutual friends who are also cyclists. I also clicked the "donate" button to add a little something extra to the Foundation's funding.

If you know a cancer survivor -- and, nowadays, who doesn't? -- this is a great way to show visible support while providing important financial support to a worthy cause.