No good idea goes uncopied.

So, when the first charity came up with the idea of selling colorful silicone bracelets with slogans punched into them as a fund-raiser, others quickly followed.

In February, the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation started peddling blue wristbands -- with the words "Preventable, Treatable, Beatable" stamped into them -- to raise awareness of colorectal cancer screenings.

Three months later, the Lance Armstrong Foundation began offering its own yellow renditions of the bracelets to support cancer research.

Sporting the word "Livestrong," the bracelets -- the same color as the yellow jersey for the leading rider in the Tour de France -- became wildly popular, with more than $20 million of the $1 items sold since their introduction. Both presidential candidates wore them, as did Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger on the field, before the National Football League called it a uniform violation.

Next, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation weighed in with one, in blue, stamped with the word "Breathe."

Locally, AutismLink, a McCandless-based foundation, which introduces families with autistic children to others who are similarly affected, sells blue wristbands with colorful puzzle pieces printed on them for $5 each.

"It's just unbelievable that something so silly is raising so much money for good causes," said Cindy Waeltermann, who started the charity. "I just sent out 500 orders this morning and I have 300 back-ordered."

Waeltermann also jumped on the magnetic ribbon craze, copying the "Support Our Troops" car magnets. She said she has raised $7,000 which is paying for respite care for autistic children.

Using bracelets to send messages is nothing new. In the 1970s, POW/MIA bracelets, with the names and ranks of servicemen missing in Vietnam, were sold. And after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks, "Hearts of Steel" bracelets were sold for $10 each to raise money for a memorial to the passengers and crew of United Airlines Flight 93 that went down in Somerset County.

Target stores have been selling pink wristbands that say "Share Beauty, Spread Hope" to raise money for breast cancer research. Ovarian cancer is represented with a teal bracelet from the Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation in Havertown, Delaware County.

The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is selling "1200" red bracelets. The number 1200 stands for the daily U.S. death toll from tobacco products.

The Lupus Foundation of America offers purple bracelets that say "Someone You Know Has Lupus."

AIDS awareness groups seem to have the most choices of wristband colors.

One Earth Foundation, a site that promotes AIDS awareness, is selling red "Living for a Cure" bracelets.

HIV/AIDS awareness also is being heightened with orange "We Can -- We Will -- We Must" bands to raise money for the AIDS/LifeCycle bicycle ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

Those who want to promote AIDS awareness without settling on one particular hue can order nine different colors of bands that have a metal charm stamped with the AIDS ribbon.

In some areas of the country, people biking while sporting the yellow "Livestrong" bracelets may want to remove those bands if they are about to get hit by a truck.

Why?

Because some hospitals in Florida and Massachusetts identify patients with "Do Not Resuscitate" orders by issuing them bright yellow bands.

Hospitals in Pittsburgh have not gone to a color-coded bracelet system. Instead they check medic-alert bracelets that are all metal.

Once admitted to Mercy Hospital, however, there are some color-coded wristbands. But Linda Stoklosa, the manager of admissions, said they are clearly hospital bands with the patients' names on them. The colors are green for allergies and blue for no allergies.

The hospital also uses other bracelets, including a yellow one, which means not to draw blood or take blood pressure on a certain arm, and pink, which is limited to the intensive care unit and states a code status such as not to ventilate or not to resuscitate.