CHICAGO -- Support across Major League Baseball and the respective fan bases has been overwhelming for Liam and Kristi Hendriks during the White Sox closer’s treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
And now, specially designed “Close Out Cancer” T-shirts are on sale for $31 at whitesox.com/TeamLiam. Net proceeds from the sale will benefit the Lymphoma Research Foundation (LRF) and its mission to eradicate lymphoma and serve those impacted by this blood cancer.
Supporting the Lymphoma Research Foundation’s patient aid grants at the request of the Hendriks family, the funds raised will provide financial assistance to lymphoma patients who may be uninsured or lack sufficient resources to cover expenses related to their treatment, such as medical bills, transportation costs, lodging expenses and childcare.
Liam Hendriks is a three-time All-Star and four-time Roberto Clemente Award nominee. Liam and Kristi have given to Chicago and its surrounding areas in a variety of ways since arriving via free agency with the White Sox prior to the 2021 campaign. They also have long been champions for children and families battling cancer.
In 2022, the Hendriks hosted an Opening Day event at a local children’s hospital that provided more than 300 patients, family members and healthcare workers with White Sox gifts and personalized get-well messages. Through the couple’s South Slydah Society -- which had 22 community activations and donations in 2022 -- the Hendriks also supported a Ronald McDonald House party to ensure patients and their families had their favorite ballpark food and ticket vouchers in time for the All-Star Game.
His contributions and donations to similar organizations, including Center on Halsted, Howard Brown Health, and the Jesse Brown VA Medical Hospital, highlight why Hendriks was named a finalist for MLB’s Lou Gehrig Memorial Award by the Phi Delta Theta fraternity.
“We’ve been blown away by the resounding support of White Sox fans during this extremely difficult time,” Kristi Hendriks said. “With help from the White Sox, these shirts are a wholehearted effort to express gratitude to the community while empowering those facing similar hardships and using our combined platforms to give back to organizations at the forefront of this fight. We’re resolved to face what lays ahead and know initiatives like this can have a profound impact in helping ‘Close Out Cancer.’”
In addition to one-time donations, fans can also donate a T-shirt to a Chicagoan battling cancer by selecting the "shirt donation" option at whitesox.com/TeamLiam. The White Sox will distribute all donated shirts to an individual through one of the organization’s local charity partners. Fans are also invited to submit messages of support for Liam and Kristi Hendriks on the site.
“Their family is unbelievable,” said Cubs infielder Nick Madrigal, Hendriks' former White Sox teammate.
“He’s a friend and almost like family first,” White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease said. “But it sounds like it should be something he’ll be able to overcome, and obviously, it’s much more important than baseball. We are all with him, and it’s just one of those things that’s tragic when you hear about it.”