Sam's Cause

Created to spotlight players driving meaningful change beyond the game, the Lauren Holiday Impact Award celebrates the legacy of two-time Olympic gold medalist, FIFA Women’s World Cup champion, and National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee Lauren Holiday, whose example of purpose-driven impact continues to inspire athletes around the world. 

Hiatt’s dedication to service is rooted in personal experience. In 2020, just days before her professional debut, Sam’s younger brother was diagnosed with a rare lymphoma. That life-altering moment shaped her career and her outlook. As her family navigated the emotional and practical challenges of his treatment, Sam experienced firsthand the power of community, connection, and care. 

Now in her fifth professional season and back home in the Pacific Northwest, Hiatt has chosen to support Candlelighters Oregon, a local organization that walks with families through every stage of childhood cancer. Candlelighters provides families across Oregon and SW Washington with practical assistance and ways to connect, offering not just resources—but lasting relationships and hope. 

Candlelighters For Children With Cancer has been Here for Hope since 1977, when five families found each other in hospital hallways while their children faced cancer. What began as a shared need for comfort and understanding has grown into a lifeline for families across Oregon and SW Washington. 

Candlelighters provides both practical support and meaningful connection—through financial assistance, in-hospital programs, and welcoming spaces for parents, siblings, and youth. Services also include bereavement support, culturally responsive programs for Latine families, special groups for parents and teens, and scholarships for young survivors. All services are free of charge, so families can focus on what matters most: being together. Learn more at www.candlelightersoregon.org.

What it means

"As athletes, we have a unique platform—even if it doesn’t always feel that way when we're just showing up to play soccer. But it truly is more than that, especially when we have the chance to make an impact on the community that supports us. Portland shows up for the Thorns time and time again, and it’s important that we give back and support the people around us—not just on game days, but every day. I am so excited to be able to tell Candlelighters that they are our community partner for this year's Lauren Holiday Impact Award and to be able to work with the amazing people behind this incredible organization." - Sam Hiatt