Los Angeles Lakers power forward Larry Nance Jr. partnered with Athletes Brand to create a limited-edition t-shirt to benefit “Athletes vs. Crohn’s & Colitis,” a charity Nance co-founded with 12-year-old Noah Weber in January of this year.
Nance has battled Crohn’s disease since his teenage years, and Weber has endured the same fight at his young age. The Lakers big man has put an emphasis on providing a voice and advocating for youth who suffer from the disease and ulcerative colitis — known more commonly as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
“As a 16-year-old kid I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, and I couldn’t find too many athletes that had my disease and shared my passion for sports,” Nance said.
“This cause connects kids with Crohn’s with people in similar positions in higher up athletics -high school, college, professional level. It’s going to give athletes the chance to reach out and mentor kids in similar situations that they were once in.”
After his diagnosis, Nance became a fan of and gravitated to former NFL quarterback David Garrard, who also had Crohn’s disease. Nance is hopeful to fill the void for aspiring basketball players and establish a network of athletes impacted by IBD who will mentor the next generation of athletes.
Nance’s foundation aims to raise awareness of Crohn’s and colitis in the adolescent population and help children realize their athletic potential despite being diagnosed with a chronic illness.
The limited-edition “L7” t-shirt can be purchased at AthletesBrand.com from now until Monday, Nov. 6th. The tri-blend shirt is available in men’s, women’s and youth sizes. All proceeds benefit Nance’s foundation.
Athlete’s Brand has worked with several professional athletes and influencers on raising awareness for various causes. They partnered with Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal in May, and most recently with Kyle Farmer and Alex Wood.
