At the age of 25, Lance Armstrong was a quickly rising star in the world of professional cycling. It was at that age that Lance was also diagnosed with testicular cancer. Upon receiving treatment, Armstrong overcame his battle with cancer and created his own cancer foundation which, in association with Nike, embarked on an ambitious venture to sell five million bands printed with “LiveStrong”, at one dollar a piece, to help increase funding for cancer research and to raise awareness about the over half a million deaths in America associated with the disease (LanceArmstrong.com). "This is a big disease, a big problem-- it affects millions of people, and we are not silent" (Armstrong, xi)
The bracelets take off
The partnership of Lance Armstrong, one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, and Nike, one of the leading athletic apparel companies in the world, created a sensation of wristbands the flooded American culture. Good marketing coupled with a great cause sparked enormous demand for the yellow rubber wristbands. Celebrities such as Matt Damon, Lindsey Lohan, Ashley Olson, Katie Couric, John Kerry, and even President George W. Bush were all seen wearing the band (Tawfik). Inspiring numerous other causes, the Livestrong wristbands led to other groups creating bracelets for epilepsy, diabetes, breast cancer and others. The bands became more than just a fundraiser; they were now ingrained into fashion. The bracelets were everywhere in American society: politicians, movie stars, media personalities, athletes, teenagers…you name it. There are bracelets in every color, matching every outfit. Some of them are for good causes; some are to support your local team, while still others are nothing more than fashion accessories. With the mass influx of these other bands onto the market, has some of the meaning behind the Livestrong foundation been lost? Are people more concerned with vanity than actually contributing to a legit organization whose sole purpose to help others? Has the Livestrong wristband become nothing more than—dare I say it—a fad ?
the words “Live Strong ”, the bracelets are made of silicon rubber and are yellow. Yellow was chosen for its significance in the world of cycling—most notably the yellow jersey of the Tour de France (Livestrong.org).