What encouraged star cyclist Lance Armstrong to get to the idea of using cancer awareness wristbands to fund cancer research? No one knows. But the signature cancer awareness wristbands s worn by the seven-time Tour de Force champion and cancer survivor quickly became popular as a common fundraising means. And young people soon ended up wearing them -in all colors and with all kinds of messages printed on them- as a trend.
The cancer awareness wristbands have been around for years as ‘baller bands’ worn by basketball players because of all restrictions against metal jewelry. But the trend really caught on with Armstrong’s cancer awareness wristbands .
The Lance Armstrong Foundation says that more than 52 million ‘LiveStrong’ cancer awareness wristbands have been sold already! But millions of other cancer awareness wristbands have also been sold. And that is without counting the millions, maybe billions, of all other kinds of silicone wristbands that have been sold or are being sold around the world, silicone wristbands for tsunami relief, for showing support to American troops, for just about anything! In fact, they are now the coolest thing that anyone can sport on one’s wrists. Though called cáncer awareness wristbands, these are actually made of synthetic silicone, or silicone gel.
When you purchase a LiveStrong cancer awareness wristbands, from its proceeds is donated to the Lance Armstrong Cancer Foundation! That is, million have been raised for cancer research already! The LiveStrong cancer awareness wristbands are made by sportswear leader Nike. Cancer is the second largest reason of death in the United States and one out of four deaths will come from cancer
Now you have a special color cancer awareness wristbands for different types of cancers. In terms of popularity, after the yellow silicone cancer wristbands come the pink ones. The pink cancer awareness wristbands are worn as a show of support for breast cancer victims. There are still more colors of wristbands for colon cancers, prostrate cancers, and so on. But it is well almost impossible to do a color-coding chart for the silicone cancer wristbands and the types of cancers they represent. Simply because so many of them are being brought out by different organizations all over the world.
There are people who take wearing their cancer awareness wristbands seriously, and there are those who hate even to see them. But it can’t be disputed that these silicone bracelets have brought charity into the life of the ordinary man. They have also succeeded in bringing some of the bitter realities of existence – as well as joys – into the level of society’s consciousness like never earlier.