Did you know? Nike chairman Phil Knight once proudly called Mia Hamm, along with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, one of three athletes who “played at a level that added a new dimension to their games” thanks to her gold medal performance with the USWNT at the 1996 Olympics. If her impact on the pitch was so profound, we can only imagine how powerful her influence is off the field as well.

Fortunately, it is just as remarkable. Courtesy of an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Hamm, a passionate advocate for more than just women in sports, has become a leading voice for bone marrow and cord blood transplants. Through her partnership with the American pharmaceutical company Incyte, she is using the platform to raise awareness about a growing and concerning complication in bone marrow transplants: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

“Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a life-threatening and potentially chronic condition that occurs when donor cells attack the recipient cells and tissues,” she began during an interview with EssentiallySports. Notably, through her collaboration with Incyte and her foundation, the former forward is dedicated to supporting families and patients undergoing bone marrow transplants.

She is determined to increase awareness about the risks associated with the procedure and stresses the significance of identifying even the smallest changes in health during and after the transplant. Additionally, with the help of her advocacy, she urged the importance of maintaining constant communication with medical teams to ensure optimal care and improved outcomes for her patients.

“The sooner you can advocate and get on top of these symptoms, the better chance you have to successfully comeback this chronic condition,” concluded Hamm, giving a ray of hope. It’s interesting to see how passionately she is working towards this cause. After all, it is a mission that is quite close to her heart!

The demise of dear brother changed everything for Mia Hamm

The 2x World Cup and Olympic gold medalist founded the Mia Hamm Foundation in 1999, just two years after the heartbreaking loss of her brother Garrett, who passed away from a fungal infection during his bone marrow transplant. This personal tragedy sparked Hamm’s partnership with the American pharmaceutical company to raise awareness about Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD).

“I’m very proud to partner with Incyte,” said Hamm during the exclusive chat with EssentiallySports. “For me, this is a personal journey, a personal story. I lost my brother Garrett when he was almost 29 years old and I was about 25 after complications from a bone marrow transplant. So this partnership just made sense, raising awareness, and being an advocate for patients.”

Mia further explained how her fame as a soccer icon enables her to amplify important messages like this through her collaboration with Incyte. She aims to inspire individuals to drive meaningful change within their communities, motivating them to become catalysts for positive impact in others’ lives.

Be that as it may, it’s truly inspiring to see how Mia has turned the painful loss of her brother into a powerful mission, especially with the support of like-minded individuals who share her vision.