The yellow wristband associated with LIVESTRONG has a different meaning for everyone. However, chances are, no one will argue with LIVESTRONG CEO and President Doug Ulman‘s definition. He calls it an “iconic symbol of hope, inspiration, activism, and empowerment.”

As he explains to WebProNews, all these elements and social media have transformed LIVESTRONG from a cancer nonprofit into an organization. This organization allows people to be a part of the LIVESTRONG movement and have an active voice.

Ulman says social media was “critical” in this transformation, since it gave them the ability to interact one-on-one with people.

“It’s a free way to over-communicate and be very transparent and authentic with millions of people who have been touched by cancer and who want help in some way,” says Ulman.

A third factor that has also aided the transformation of LIVESTRONG into an organization is the increasing prevalence of cancer. As Ulman points out, “Cancer transcends all barriers. Cancer does not discriminate.”

Cancer is now the #1 cause of death in the world. As a result, everyone has been touched by it in some way, shape, or form. LIVESTRONG hopes to provide a platform for these individuals and their families. Ulman says that the only way to support this platform in a scalable way is through social media.

He believes so strongly in social media that he told us that it has changed nonprofits forever. Today, nonprofits have the opportunity to communicate in real-time daily and tell people how they can benefit from their services.

LIVESTRONG, specifically, is focused on 2 areas. For starters, it provides a direct service to families and individuals affected by cancer. Secondly, it provides a platform for advocacy in order to help other people give back not only with monetary gifts, but also with gifts of time, expertise, and energy.

“If we can provide great direct service, and we can give people a platform, then we’re going to make a huge dent in the cancer burden around the world,” says Ulman.

For more information on LIVESTRONG, visit the organization’s site.