Whether it was while you were walking across campus or while scrolling through your favorite celebrity's social media accounts, you've probably seen Love Your Melon beanies or heard of the brand itself. Love Your Melon is not just a brand, but a powerful movement sweeping across campuses all over the nation with the help of hundreds of college campus crews.

So what is Love Your Melon? The mission of LYM is at the heart and soul of their brand: Love Your Melon is an apparel brand dedicated to putting a hat on the head of every child battling cancer. Through partnerships with non-profits within the pediatric oncology field, with research initiatives, and with organizations to help families dealing with pediatric cancer, Love Your Melon donates fifty percent of its profits to fight childhood cancer. For every hat sold, they aim to place a hat on the melon of a little superhero going through treatment.

Want to know one of the coolest parts of the story of this organization? It was started by two students during their sophomore year of college in an entrepreneurship class with a passion for making a difference. In less than five years, Love Your Melon met their goal of donating 45,000+ hats to pediatric cancer patients, one for every child battling cancer, and created a new goal to donate over one million dollars to childhood cancer research and family support initiatives!

Love Your Melon started on a college campus, and the heart and soul of the organization lies on campuses nationwide. Over 740 universities have campus crews, totaling to over 11,000 crew members! These committed crews work daily to share the story of LYM, as well as run promotional events, plan adventures for children in treatment, and go to hospitals to donate hats themselves. Campus crews are the individuals who have the chance to interact one-on-one with families to truly make a difference in the life of every kid battling cancer.

Ohio State has our own Love Your Melon Crew started only a few years ago. In the past few years, OSU students have fallen in love with our cause and helped maximize our impact right here in the Columbus community. This crew has taken hats to our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital, Nationwide Children's Hospital in Downtown Columbus, as well as planned many events to let some of their superheroes enjoy their childhood. Ohio State's crew is committed to making a difference in every way they can.

I reached out to ask some fellow campus crew members here at Ohio State to find out why they're committed to Love Your Melon and what it means to them. Here's what they had to say:

"Honestly, starting Love Your Melon here at Ohio state has been the craziest, most rewarding experience. When I was just starting it, I loved the mission, but really had no idea the depths of the amazingness that is LYM. It's so much more than cute hats and money being donated. The experiences we get to have with these kids through hospital visits and superhero adventures are so therapeutic for everyone involved: The little superheroes themselves, their families, and even for us as a crew. The joy I've experienced (on donation events) is something I'm not sure I've felt anywhere else. These kids, who are literally having their childhood taken away from them, have so much love, joy and strength that it continues to inspire me over than three years. I'm simply beyond grateful that I can be part of making those smiles happen, and everything in between."
- Laura Vanic, a founder of Ohio State's campus crew & crew captain

"Being raised while watching my brother go through chemotherapy allowed me to realize how much a little gesture truly means. When I heard of Love Your Melon and saw that I could now contribute through these small gestures to similar kids going through treatment, I knew I had to get involved. LYM gives me the opportunity to share happiness, like so many did with my brother."
- Erika Barnes, a third year student at Ohio State, who has volunteered with LYM since her sophomore, and was invited to join the campus crew this past fall.

"I joined Love Your Melon my freshman year because my sister was involved with the crew at Georgia College and absolutely loved it. Our cousin was diagnosed with a brain tumor at two years old, so being able to make a direct impact in the lives of other children has been so special to us. Love Your Melon is one of the best organizations to be apart of."
-Jenna Wilson, a junior who has been involved with LYM for three years.

"Being able to directly help children with cancer and their families was something that I knew would be an unforgettable experience, and I am thankful to have the chance to be a part of something so amazing. Seeing the way the organization took off was great and I am so happy that I was able to contribute to that. My grandmother was diagnosed with Stage IV endometrial cancer and she passed away from it. Being able to support Love Your Melon allows me to fight against a terrible illness that has taken someone I love from me."
-Allison Petro, a sophomore in her fourth semester with LYM.

"I first found out about LYM when my younger sister (Lauryn, or as most people called her, Lu) was in the hospital getting treatment for Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. She told me a few college students were delivering beanies to all the patients on her floor. I looked up Love Your Melon and realized I wanted to be part of OSU's campus crew because their mission was so important to me. She battled this disease for a year and a half, and she never gave up. It has definitely been a tough year for my family after Lauryn passed away on May 5, 2016. She is my hero and now my guardian angel. Pediatric cancer does not receive enough funding for new treatments and no one should ever have to go through it. It's so amazing to know that if you buy any LYM gear that half the proceeds go towards pediatric cancer research and to help families going through a very hard time."
-Kristin Oliphant, a junior at Ohio State involved with LYM for about one year.

Convinced to treat yourself with some cute Love Your Melon gear yet and join the movement? Be sure to credit the Ohio State Love Your Melon Campus Crew at checkout. Want to make a bigger impact? Reach out to your local campus crew to learn how you can volunteer or get more involved!