The Livestrong (or rather LIVESTRONG) wristband is a yellow silicone gel bracelet launched in May 2004. It is a fundraising item for the Lance Strong Foundation. It is part of the “Wear Yellow Live Strong” education program intended to raise money for cancer research, awareness, and encouraging people to live rich and full lives. The bands raised $24.1 million for the Lance Armstrong Foundation in a matter of 6 months!
So, what is the hospitals’ problem with these fund-raising little trinkets? Well, it turns out that the Livestrong wristbands bear a deep resemblance with the yellow “Do Not Resuscitate” bands used by some medical facilities. These bands indicate that the wearer does not wish to undergo CPR or advanced cardiac life support if their heart stops or they stop breathing, and that the medical practitioner is legally obligated to respect this wish. So yeah, there’s a bit of a difference between the two.