They say one candle can light a thousand, and we couldn’t agree more after hearing the story of Mia Hamm. The soccer world may remember the 2x World Cup and Olympic gold medalist as one of the most iconic forwards of her time. But today, she is carving a new path with a mission close to her heart. In an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Hamm shares how the tragic loss of her beloved brother inspired her to ‘raise awareness,’ ultimately leading her to partner with Incyte.

Aside from advocating for women in sports, the USWNT icon has become the voice for bone marrow and cord blood transplants, both of which she is doing via the Mia Hamm Foundation. Founded in 1999, it came just a couple of years after her dear brother Garrett succumbed to a fungal infection during his own bone marrow transplant. That somehow ignited Hamm’s partnership with the American pharmaceutical company to get the word out about another complication in BMT: Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).

“I’m very proud to partner with Incyte,” began Hamm during an 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.”

Hamm calls Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) a “life-threatening and potentially chronic condition that occurs when donor cells attack the recipient cells and tissues.” Hence, through her partnership, the ex-forward is on a mission to extend a helping hand to families and patients undergoing bone marrow transplants. She aims to raise awareness about the potential risks involved during the procedure and the importance of recognizing even subtle changes in overall health during and after the transplant.

Her advocacy emphasizes the need for patients and families to remain in constant communication with their 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.

This is indeed quite eye-opening information from Hamm and we hope this crucial message reaches every corner of the world. Notably, she isn’t alone in being a part of this inspiring journey!

Mia Hamm acknowledges the support of her loved ones and USWNT teammates in her personal mission

In a similar exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports, Mia discussed how her status as a renowned soccer star allows her to amplify messages like this through her partnership with Incyte. She hopes to empower individuals to create meaningful change within their own communities, inspiring them to become difference-makers in the lives of others.

Further expressing her gratitude for everyone who was a part of her journey, she said, “For me, I wasn’t able to help my brother without my friends, families, and my teammates. They really stepped up and supported me through this battle and we’re there after he passed away and they continue to be such an important part of what I’m able to do.”

It’s inspiring to see how Mia Hamm has channeled the tragic loss of her brother into a powerful mission, especially with the help of enough force and people with similar shared beliefs.