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The wearing of armbands, ribbons, flags, and badges, on the jerseys of individuals and teams, is one of the ways the sports world mark or remember certain days, anniversaries, and incidents that have occurred in the world, both in sports and other spheres of life. Some of these days are celebrations, remembrance of unfortunate events, or solidarity with a certain course. The consumption of sporting activities is one of the largest in the world which makes it a powerful space to pass or send messages of unity, solidarity, support, and every other message that needs to be spread across the globe. Let’s learn about ‘Why Are Mets Wearing Yellow Ribbons?’.
Why Are Mets Wearing Yellow Ribbons?
The Mets and the entire Major League Baseball teams wore yellow ribbons and gold wristbands in support of the fight against childhood cancer as they marked Childhood cancer awareness day on September 2nd, 2022.
Who are the Mets?: Why Are Mets Wearing Yellow Ribbons?
The New York Metropolitan Baseball club, popularly known as the Mets is an American Baseball club that plays in Major League Baseball. They were founded in 1962 by Joan Whitney Payson, and are based in Queens, New York. The baseball club boasts two world series championships, won in 1969 and 1986, along with five National League pennants.
The Mets are well known for their offensive style of play, which has not really been as effective lately as they have struggled with lackluster performances in Major League Baseball in recent times, but that did not dampen their spirits as they all came out for their MLB game against the Washington Nationals on the 2nd of September, 2022, wearing the yellow ribbons and gold wristbands, marking the Child Cancer Awareness day.
Why Do the Mets Mark Childhood Cancer Awareness Day?
Childhood Cancer is one of the leading causes of Child death by disease in recent times in the United States and Canada.
In collaboration with Stand Up To Cancer, the Major League Baseball team, Mets along with the other 14 teams marked its fifth annual Child Cancer Awareness day to show support for the fight against the lethal disease with demonstrations and outreaches to local hospitals. The 15 clubs in the MLB in partnership with Starlight Children’s foundation contributed 100 baseball-designed gowns for children undergoing treatments.
During the games on the 2nd of September, all on-field personnel, which included players, coaches, and umpires, wore yellow ribbons and gold wristbands to demonstrate and raise awareness for childhood cancer.
Some of the clubs also held a special meet and greet sessions with the cancer patients as part of the events planned to mark the day.
MLB and its clubs have supported the fight against childhood cancer through many initiatives, and pumping finances up to over $50 million in pledges to further advance research programs, offering needed support.
The rate of childhood cancer has increased in the last decade, with over 10,000 children under the age of 15 years already diagnosed with childhood cancer this year, and over 1,000 of these children expected to die from this disease which has a 5-year span for its victims. The death rate, however, has reduced by 30%, thanks to major advancements in treatments and modern facilities. 85% of childhood cancer patients now have a chance to survive the 5-year span of the disease, in contrast to the 58% survival during the mid-1970s. Although, the survival rate of childhood cancer is also dependent on the type of cancer and several other factors like early detection, and availability of the right treatments, among others.
Early detection is one of the ways of winning the battle against childhood cancer, part of the reasons MLB and some other bodies started out the awareness program five years ago, is to combat the rise of childhood cancer deaths, which is the second leading cause of child deaths in America after accidents, synthesizing the eyes and ears of the society by spreading the message about the deadly disease, and reaching out to the children already diagnosed with cancer.
Other Awareness Days Observed by the Mets and MLB
Lou Gehrig day is also marked in the MLB. A day set aside to create awareness and raise funds to fight Amytrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurological disease that took the life of Lou Gehrig, one of MLB’s great players, and Hall of Famer. The disease was also named after him.
ALS shuts down the neurological system, causing its victim the inability to talk, eat, walk, speak or even breathe on their own. The death rate is within three to five years of diagnosis. It is marked on the 2nd of June.
Conclusion
The sports world is one of the most powerful platforms in the world, with a voice loud enough to reverberate around the globe. From creating awareness against deadly diseases to celebrating past events, and showing support in certain situations. The power of unity that sporting activities bring is sometimes utilized by individuals, bodies, organizations, and even nations to reach out to other parts of the world.
