Rubber Cancer Bracelets: a Small, Big Gesture

What prompted ace cyclist Lance Armstrong to hit$1 from its proceeds is donated to the Lance
upon the idea to use rubber cancer bracelets to fundArmstrong Cancer Foundation! That is, $52 million has
cancer research? No one knows. But the signaturebeen raised for cancer research already! The
yellow rubber cancer bracelets worn by theLiveStrong rubber cancer bracelets are made by
seven-time Tour de Force champion and cancersportswear major Nike. Cancer is 1the second largest
survivor quickly caught on as a common fundraisingcause of death in the United States and one out of
tool. And young people soon turned wearing them --four deaths will come from cancer
in all colors and with all kinds of messages stampedNow you have a different color rubber cancer
on them -- into a trend.bracelet for different types of cancers. In terms of
The rubber wristbands have been around forpopularity, after the yellow rubber cancer bracelets
decades as 'baller bands' -- worn by basketball playerscome the pink ones. The pink rubber cancer bracelets
because of restrictions against metal jewelry. But theare worn as a show of support for breast cancer
trend really caught on with Armstrong's cancerpatients. There are still more colors of bracelets for
bracelets.colon cancers, prostrate cancers, and so on. But it is
The Lance Armstrong Foundation says that morewell nigh impossible to do a color-coding chart for the
than 52 million 'LiveStrong' bracelets have been soldrubber cancer bracelets and the types of cancers
already! But millions of other rubber cancer braceletsthey represent. Simply because so many of them are
have also been sold. And that is without counting thebeing brought out by different organizations across
millions, maybe billions, of all other kinds of rubberthe world.
wristbands that have been sold or are being sold allThere are people who take wearing their rubber
over the world -- rubber bracelets for tsunami relief,cancer bracelets seriously, and there are those who
for showing support to American troops, for justhate the sight of them. But it can't be disputed that
about anything, and nothing! In fact, they are nowthese rubber wristbands have brought charity into
the coolest thing that anyone can sport on one'sthe life of the common man. They have also
wrists. Though called rubber bracelets, these aresucceeded in bringing some of the bitter realities of
actually made of synthetic rubber, or silicone gel.existence -- as well as joys - into the plane of
When you buy a LiveStrong rubber cancer bracelet,society's consciousness like never before.