Inspired by brother, Brockton girl starts bracelet business to raise money for sickle cell research
BROCKTON - This summer, when other rising fourth graders are lounging and playing, Lilly Campbell will be focused on her business. But Lilly didn't launch her bracelet-making enterprise to make money for herself. She's raising money and awareness for patients with sickle cell disease.
Lilly felt helpless when her 15-year-old brother Isaiah was in pain. Because of bouts with sickle cell, he missed roughly half the school year. "I want to tell people what it is-what kind of disease it is-and what it does to your body," Lilly explained while making a bracelet at her home in Brockton.
A photo of her and Isaiah with their two younger siblings sits on the shelf above her "creation station" and serves as powerful motivation. "I felt bad for him, and I wanted to try to make him happy," she said.
Sickle cell disease is a blood disorder that affects roughly 100,000 Americans. While most people have round blood cells that move easily through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to the body, sickle cell patients have abnormal hemoglobin which causes the red blood cells to become hard and sticky. Their cells are C-shaped (like a sickle) and often get stuck traveling through small blood vessels. That clogs blood flow and becomes painful.
Proceeds from Lilly's bracelets support Next Step, a program Isaiah participated in. The non-profit supports and empowers young people who experience serious illness in their teen years. She has participated in pop-up sales with other creative sellers and will next join a pop-up event in Bridgewater on July 4th.
"I'm so proud of her," Lilly's mom Mimi Campbell says smiling. Mimi designed the website on which Lilly sells most of her bracelets-including the Warrior Red, their best-seller. She says Lilly's determination to help Isaiah isn't surprising. Lilly asked for a bead set as a gift, began experimenting with designs and then approached Mimi and her father, Paul with the idea.
"Lilly has always been a super-fan of Isaiah since she was born. They're about six years apart. That's her big brother. She adores him."
Mimi says they have become even closer, as a family, working to make Lilly's supportive vision a reality.
Lilly's heart is clearly in her work. She hates to see the challenge Isaiah faces explaining his disease to people while, simultaneously, coping with physical pain. While she hopes to play a role in funding a cure for sickle cell, she also wants to make people aware of the disease. To that end, she adds two red beads to every bracelet. She hopes they stand out as a design element that encourages people to educate themselves.
Mimi agrees that awareness is critical. "Sickle cell education isn't very prominent right now," she says explaining that the more people understand the disease, the less isolated sickle cell patients will feel. "The more awareness we have for sickle cell, the more comfortable our warriors are going to be," she said.
She applauds Lilly's efforts to make patients like Isaiah feel seen and understood. "She just has such a big heart. She wants the best for everyone she's with. She is going to go so far in life."
As Lilly wraps bracelets for shipping and addresses envelopes, she is clearly proud of her efforts. Isaiah moved to Florida to finish the school year in a warmer climate. Extreme cold or heat can exacerbate sickle cell crises. Lilly provides him with regular updates on her sales. "I tell him that it's growing," she said. "He tells his friends and they order from me."
For more information visit: Better Beads By Lilly
