on the path
By Cameron Carr
Fighting via Fandom
Photo courtesy of Monica Biener
Jerseys of Hope uses fandom to inspire perseverance
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Recipients of jerseys and soccer balls presented by Ayembillah Tahiru Gambo, on behalf of Jerseys of Hope, to an orphanage in Brong Ahafo, Ghana. www.healthynewalbanymagazine.com
Photo courtesy of Bala Baako
S
even years ago, Jon Biemer was running late on a visit to his mother, Sharon, in a cancer ward. When he arrived, the sometimessullen atmosphere had been replaced by lively commotion – the ward was watching a football game. That gave Biemer an idea: What if sports fandom could be used to ignite that same energy and hope in others? That inspiration eventually formed the basis for Jerseys of Hope, a nonprofit formed to provide athletic jerseys to hospital patients and their families as a way of building hope and improving well-being. “People get really excited (when they receive a jersey),” Biemer says. “We get both sides of the spectrum: overwhelming joy and happiness but
