Nine year old Rebecca “Becca Boo” Salmins just completed 26 months of chemotherapy and treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Her battle with cancer might be complete, but her journey is not.
“Cancer is not fun,” says Salmins. “I hate thinking that other kids will have to go through what I did, so I had to do something about it.”
And she did.
Becca enlisted the help of another cancer survivor, her own father Gerhard Salmins, and together, the two of them started a company that benefits the fight to end childhood cancer.
The company, Knots & Arrows, is an online bracelet and accessory company that donates 10% of every sale to a childhood cancer charity to aid in research and donates another 10% directly to a childhood cancer family in-need to assist in the cost and expenses of treatment.
“As a parent, it’s horrific to watch your child go through cancer and know there is nothing you can do to help. But as someone who has gone through cancer myself, it’s even more difficult to see my daughter struggle with something I’m all too familiar with.” said Gerhard Salmins. “Becca is really the brains behind Knots & Arrows, I’m just here to help guide her from a business perspective. She’s so passionate about raising awareness and lending a helping hand to other kids who are going through what she went through.”
Knots & Arrows bracelets are meant to be a source of inspiration, to remind its wearers to never give up hope. The Knots & Arrows company name is derived from two meaningful quotes that encouraged the Salmins family throughout Becca’s cancer battle:
Knots: “When you’ve reached the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.”
Arrows: “An arrow can only be shot by dragging it backwards, so when life is dragging you back, it’s getting ready to launch you into something great.”
Becca has just announced the release of 36 new Knots & Arrows bracelets in honor of September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, through a Kickstarter campaign. The funds raised through the campaign will allow Knots & Arrows to produce the six new lines of bracelets while also donating its standard 20% of proceeds to the fight to end childhood cancer.
“I want to really do it big in September because our kids deserve more than 4,” says Becca Salmins, referring to the mere 4% of of government funding given to childhood cancer research from the National Cancer Institute. “I want everyone to GO GOLD this September.”
To support Becca’s mission and help put an end to childhood cancer, check out her Kickstarter. You can back her project and receive a bracelet for as little as $18.
You can also follow Knots & Arrows on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
