In August of 2020, my sister and I, like all kids, were coping with the first waves of the pandemic, not seeing our friends and being stuck in the house all the time. It was a difficult time for everyone. When my parents sat my sister and I down to explain that my mom was sick and what she would be going through, it was like being punched in the stomach. A few days later, my dad gave us these bracelets and said we didn’t have to wear them, but we could if we liked them and if it helped us feel better.

He said it was the most masculine-looking breast cancer bracelet he could find for me and I thought it was pretty cool. I have worn it everyday since. Many of my classmates and teammates have asked about it. It makes me happy to know I’m raising awareness that cancer is more common than people think. It also makes me happy to be able to tell them that my mom survived it.

There are tons of different styles if you search for “breast cancer awareness bracelet” on Amazon. The one I wear can be found here. Or you can make one yourself using pink string. My sister makes them for her friends. Here is a video on how to make one.