“Be the best teammate you can be, be the best player you can be, and just be as supportive and encouraging for people who are playing.”–Some promising words from USWNT icon Kelley O’Hara. While this sentiment speaks for itself, it pretty much sums up the ever-supportive nature of the American ladies. In fact, we feel this support isn’t just limited to on-pitch instances, as in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Mia Hamm reflects on how her national comrades stood by her during her brother’s passing and have continued to back her advocacy for bone marrow transplants.

Sure, back in the day, many remember Hamm as one of the most iconic forwards of her time. But ever since her time off the soccer field, the 2x World Cup winner and Olympic gold medalist has turned into an active advocate for not just women in sports, but importantly, bone marrow and cord blood transplants. And what better way there is than by using her own cemented name in the soccer world to partner with leading American pharmaceutical brand Incyte?

“It’s incredibly important to not only use my platform to get a message like this and partner with Incyte but also to help people empower them to make a difference in their own communities,” began Hamm during an exclusive chat with EssentiallySports. Of course, the cause holds utmost importance in her heart as it was her brother Garrett, who died just at the age of 29, due to the complications from his own bone marrow transplant.

Unfortunately, even though Hamm couldn’t help her brother, she was able to take the help of her close ones, and more surprisingly, a few of her USWNT teammates. “For me, I wasn’t able to help my brother without my friends, family, and my teammates. They really stepped up and supported me through this battle, and were there after he passed away, and they continue to be such an important part of what I’m able to do,” she said.

The Mia Hamm Foundation, launched in 1999, was inspired by the loss of her brother and has since fueled her mission to raise awareness about Graft-versus-Host Disease (GVHD) through her partnership with Incyte. In fact, she had a very powerful message to share regarding the virtue of this disease.

Mia Hamm explains how ‘life-threatening’ GVHD can be during the BMT

Given that her own brother was affected by complications during the bone marrow transplant, Mia Hamm asserted that Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is “a life-threatening and potentially chronic condition that occurs when donor cells attack the recipient cells and tissues.”

Through her collaboration with Incyte and her foundation, Hamm is committed to support families and patients undergoing bone marrow transplants. She focuses on educating others about the risks of the procedure and emphasizes the need to monitor even subtle health changes during and after transplants.

Her advocacy also highlights the critical role of maintaining open communication with medical teams to ensure better care and outcomes. “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.

Indeed, Mia Hamm’s journey is truly touching, and EssentiallySports is honored to be a part of it.