This past semester my sorority, Kappa Alpha Theta, held an event where Jessica Ekstrom, founder of the company Headbands of Hope, came and spoke here at JMU. Headbands of Hope is an organization that sells various styles and colors of headbands, and for each headband sold, one is given to a child with cancer and a dollar is donated to help fund childhood cancer research. My sorority and hundreds of other JMU students piled into the auditorium, excited to hear this woman’s story but unaware of just how inspiring it would be.
By the end of Jessica’s speech, the entire audience was on the brink of tears, and I realized that this company is so much more than a company. Jessica was an inspiration to everyone that night and her story is one that needs to be shared. To sum it up (you’ll have to hear it in her own words, because I can’t even begin to tell it like she did), Jessica began the business when she was only a sophomore in college. She was around our age when she launched what has now become a successful, inspiring, and influential business and cause known around the country.
However, Jessica made it known that it isn’t about the success for her. Instead, it is about the joy and hope that these children receive with their headbands, the sense of restored femininity that these little girls thought they had lost through the long battle with cancer and chemotherapy, and the strong relationships built along the way. An ongoing theme that Jessica related to her audience was that no matter how young you are, you are still capable of making a difference and achieving your dreams. She is the perfect example of that.
Headbands of Hope is dedicated to what they do and are passionate about the children they serve. If you go to their website, you can read Jessica’s full story and find out more about why she is so passionate about what she does and the journey that got her to where she is today.
If you are interested in this cause, there a few things you can do. First off and simply enough, just buy a headband! Not only are you supporting a great cause, but they’re also super cute and perfect for the wintertime. Secondly, follow Jessica Ekstrom and Headbands of Hope on Instagram. Any bit of support helps, even if it’s just a like! And lastly, tell your friends about this awesome organization, and help spread the word. Headbands of Hope is truly something to be shared. Instagram: @jlekstro @headbandsofhope