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Click here to buy a band and support St. Jude patients battling childhood cancer
Alejandra Martin
Washingtonspirit.com
Boyds, Md. (9/18/20) – Washington Spirit defender and captain Tori Huster is known for her leadership on the field for the Spirit, but her initiative doesn’t take pause after the final whistle.
In the DC Metro area, Huster also strives to create positive change and be a voice. As the only athlete ambassador for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the mid-atlantic region, Huster has taken the initiative to partner with La Clé as a part of their 2020 Unlocked Project to create a Limited Edition bracelet that supports those battling childhood cancer, with 50% of the proceeds from the bands going to St. Jude patients.
Back in 2019, Huster was introduced to St. Jude through the Spirit, at what she could call a perfect moment in time. Huster had just told the community engagement team at the Spirit that she wanted to be more active in the DC area regarding childhood cancer or kids that find themselves in the hospital. That same summer, Huster became an ambassador for St. Jude.
With September being designated as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and to bring awareness to the cause, Huster and her good friend Deanna Saracino, owner of La Clé, thought of the idea of making these bracelets to support those affected by cancer, which remains the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of 14.
Their design and creation of the bracelets was a process, Huster explained, as she wanted to “really nail down the design” and make sure it “reflects our ideas, as well as be as gender-neutral as possible.”
For Huster, the bands needed to keep the patients of St. Jude in mind first and foremost, which is why she included Anna, a patient she came to know during her visit to the hospital last December, in the design process.
“She’s very artistic,” Huster said. “I wanted her input in the band, so we texted several times about our ideas and ultimately came up with something that can serve the patients really well, but also anyone who may be struggling to find some peace at that moment.”
Huster had previously worked with La Clé, and felt the Unlocked Project was the perfect medium for her to get the bands just right.
“Having worked with them before, I know how trustworthy the company is,” she said. “I had a lot of fun working with them to create something that can help patients and the hospital financially and also with a simple and inspiring message.”
Inscribed within the band, the message reads ‘Even Here I Will Rise.’ The slogan may sound simple and concise on its face,
but the task of choosing it reveals a deeper meaning. “It began with the word ‘rise’ which is connected not only to the verb and the act of physically getting up, but also rising to any occasion and finding the courage to do so.”
Huster continued, “In addition, the band’s colors reflect the colors of the sunrise, which tie in another way to celebrate rising each day. Putting it all together, it became important to me to find strength in each moment, even here, no matter what that moment might be.”
The bands are available for purchase now via La Clé’s online storefront. Click here to get your band today and support the children battling childhood cancer.
