HSU’s Love Your Melon Crew Raises Awareness on Campus

On February 12 and 13, HSU’s Love Your Melon (LYM) crew hosted events to raise support for pediatric cancer. The LYM crew hosted a paper drive benefitting Ronald McDonald House Charities. Those who donated were entered in a drawing to win a valentine’s day themed goody basket, complete with candy and LYM ballcap. The crew also hosted Be a Matchmaker, an informational event that informed the HSU community about Be The Match, an organization which pairs cancer patients with biological matches who are willing to donate bone marrow or cord blood.  

Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) supports families of sick children by providing them with necessities such as housing while their children are undergoing medical treatment. According to LYM, “Be The Match manages the largest and most diverse bone marrow registry in the world.” They provide cutting-edge technology and ground-breaking research, as well as patient support and education. To date, LYM has donated over $100,000 to Ronald McDonald House Charities and $250,000 to Be the Match. They have aided 186 RMHC houses and have added over 9,000 members to the Be The Match registry.

Love Your Melon was founded in 2012, by friends and University of St. Thomas classmates, Zachary and Brian. In their entrepreneurship class, the pair devised to start a business that had the potential to make a meaningful impact. What began as a mission to gift a hat to every child battling cancer in America quickly became a massive fundraising operation that currently partners with non-profits, such as Alex’s Lemonade Stand and St. Baldrick’s Foundation. According to their website, LYM has donated over $6 million to foundations dealing with pediatric cancer and over 160,000 hats to children battling cancer.

“I joined LYM because a very close friend of ours had a daughter that was diagnosed with cancer. It was such a wild ride, and she battled it until she was two years old. Her treatments were successful with her little fighting spirit, and she has now been cancer free for 2 1/2 years,” says LYM crew member, Hannah Minchew. “Knowing that there are several thousand, even millions of children battling cancer has made the LYM experience rewarding. It reminds me to remain humble and thankful when children are literally fighting for their lives every day. Some have victories, and unfortunately, some do not. LYM is such a great organization designed to help children and families along the way. Recently we were able to send birthday cards and a beanie to a little girl. Her mom was so excited and thankful to have someone reach out. In the past, we have also been given the opportunity to deliver funds and a beanie to a child in DFW on LYM’s behalf. To be able to see the joy & help it can bring is very rewarding.”