LiveStrong Wristbands: To Support, Show Off, Collect and Profit

What started out purely as a fund-raising campaign for the Lance Armstrong Foundation soon turned into a fashion trend? You'd be correct if you guessed the LiveStrong bracelets.

The popularity of these yellow synthetic silicone/rubber wristbands is astounding; LiveStrong wristbands have become the "must have" accessory of everyone from Senator John Kerry to Jay Leno to the average college student. So, what's all the hoopla about?

Originally conceived by Nike as a tribute to Lance Armstrong's triumph in the Tour de France and his fight against cancer. LiveStrong bracelets have become as common as iPods on the subway. The wristbands have spread to many college campuses, including Pace University. They are, literally, everywhere. They are the new "What Would Jesus Do?" bracelets.

Felicia Loc said, "It is refreshing that students are taking part in the fight against cancer, even if it is simply a fashion statement."

What originally began with a simple, yellow show of support can now be found in a vast array of colors, supporting anything and everything from tsunami relief to American troops. There are pink bracelets that support breast cancer and the blue Michigan bracelets that donate proceeds to the new Mott's Children's Hospital. Although this sounds great, are people wearing them to actually support the cause?

Senior Mike Lenahan said, "[People who wear them for style] are posers. They wear it because they feel like they need to belong to something. It's total baloney. People should wear it out of individual expression and what they believe in."

Senior Therese Remo agreed, "I think that [people] are not wearing them for the right reason and by wearing the bracelet without knowing what it's all about, is a disgrace. Those people are ignorant."

Some bracelets don't support anything at all. Those bracelets are simply available for people to add to their collection. There are the "inspirational" ones that say "dream" or "wish." People have been seen with bands all the way up to their elbows.

Most people wearing the original, official wristbands are supporters of the Lance Armstrong Foundation's efforts to raise millions and help those living with cancer. Funding scientific research and developing programs are ways in which the foundation serves its mission to help people "live strong" with cancer.

Senior Michal Motykiewicz said, "I bought 20 bracelets from the Lance Armstrong website and gave them out to my friends to help support the cancer research. I mostly wear it for myself. It keeps me conscious about the things I [have to] do every single day."

Remo wears her bracelet for a similar purpose. She said, "I got [mine] from a friend. I wear it to support the cause and because I know my mom's friend is battling cancer. Why represent something if it doesn't mean anything?"

For $1, you can help those battling cancer. At least it used to be a dollar. The LiveStrong bracelets are in such high demand that they are temporarily unavailable in stores. People have been buying them in bulk and selling them for as high as $20 a piece.

Motykiewicz said "I've seen some [people] on Fulton Street sell fake ones. Some of them come in different colors with different sayings on them such as 'balla'."

People even resort to alternatives such as eBay where they are being sold by the dozen. When senior Samantha Browne bought hers from eBay, she did not see anything about the proceeds being donated to the cancer research. Browne said, "The guy I got my bracelet from bought them in bulk. Even though he sold them at dollar a piece, he was still getting some profit from the shipping, which was expensive."

No longer are the wristbands on sale for a cause or even a trend; they are on sale for personal profit. So, if you want to join the trend, you can order them online or find the knockoffs at local vendor near you. However, the one and only, official cancer-supporting bracelets can still be purchased in packs of 10, 100 and 1,200 from the Lance Armstrong Foundation's website store at www.laf-store.org