ABSTRACT
The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) is an organization that has been highly successful leveraging sport and social responsibility. The LAF was founded in 1997 by professional cyclist Lance Armstrong, during his treatment for testicular cancer that had spread to his abdomen, lungs, and brain. The LAF was started based upon the idea of improving the lives of individuals affected by cancer. In its early years, the organization consisted of a small group of employees and volunteers working to raise money in the fight against cancer (LIVESTRONG: Our history, n.d.). Since those formative years, a number of factors have impacted the growth of the organization. First, cancer has emerged as the world’s leading cause of death. Second, Lance’s stature has expanded exponentially. Third, the resources available to the organization have increased significantly. Accordingly, the organization now reaches every corner of the globe. As an example, in 2010, over 1,100 grassroots LIVESTRONG days – a day/event founded by the organization in 2004 to celebrate the movement against cancer – were held in over 65 countries (LIVESTRONG: Milestones, n.d.). The organization has been highly successful in advancing its mission to inspire and empower individuals living with cancer and in demonstrating social responsibility since its inception. This social responsibility has been augmented through cooperation from corporate partners and individual supporters. The development and guidance of the LIVESTRONG wristband campaign provided by Nike, as well as the dedication displayed by participants in LIVESTRONG events, provide excellent examples of this cooperation through social responsibility. This chapter presents information collected in a series of research projects on participants, employees, and the organization to provide a perspective on how social responsibility has been activated. Notably, all of the data and events presented below were collected and occurred prior to Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace, which included the founder voluntarily resigning from the board for the charity in November 2012.
