FC Cincinnati are proud to join with Major League Soccer and MLS WORKS – MLS’ social responsibility platform – for the league’s annual “Kick Childhood Cancer” initiative in the month of September.
Now in its eighth year, MLS’ Kick Childhood Cancer initiative has helped put a brighter light on what types of cancers typically affect children, how children and their families cope with their diagnoses and help raise funds for further research. Kick Childhood Cancer works to strengthen research efforts to find cures for all types of childhood cancer and provide support to one of the most vulnerable populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are honored to work alongside Cancer Free Kids, The Cure Starts Now, The Dragonfly Foundation, and Ronald McDonald House to bring attention to their important work and to provide special experiences for their families,” said Kate Solomon, Vice President, Community Relations and FCC Foundation Executive Director.
FC Cincinnati will work with four local pediatric cancer organizations through the month of September. As the Community Partner of the Match, they will receive scoreboard recognition, booth space and tickets to a match. Each organization will also host a booth in Washington Park prior to each match.
A representative from each organization also designed a KCC scarf which will be sold in the team store and online beginning September 1 with a percentage of proceeds donated to the organizations.
At each of the club’s three home matches in September, as well as the most recent match in August against CF Montréal, a different local organization focusing on different aspects of supporting, caring for and curing children with cancers are recognized:
- Wednesday, Aug. 18 vs. Montréal – The Cure Starts Now
- Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. Miami – Ronald McDonald House
- Saturday, Sept. 11 vs. Toronto – The Dragonfly Foundation
- Saturday, Sept. 18 vs. NYCFC – Cancer Free Kids
For more information about these organizations and to purchase the scarves, click here.
FCC will also create a special experience for families who will be invited to the new TQL Stadium for a tour, visit with Gary the mascot, and a goody bag with FCC and Kick Childhood Cancer gear.
The FC Cincinnati match against Inter Miami CF on Saturday, September 4, will serve as the official game day kickoff to the month of recognitions with a gold theme, the adopted color for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Among the activities and awareness items scheduled for the Miami match include:
- Commemorative KCC MLS adidas Nativo 21 Official Match Ball
- KCC adidas Pre-Match Tops will be worn by players during pregame and warmups on game day as well as on the bench, side lines and during training and in the community
- Gold corner flags
- Gold goal nets
- Gold captain’s armbands
- Gold ribbon jersey patches
- PRO referees will sport wristbands featuring a KCC ribbon
ABOUT THE PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
The Dragonfly Foundation helps pediatric cancer families and patients find strength, courage and joy throughout treatment and recovery in the form of support and comfort services.
Cancer Free Kids seeks to eradicate cancer as a life-threatening disease in children by funding promising research that might otherwise go un- or under-funded.
The Cure Starts Now focused on research to find a cure for DIPG, a rare form of pediatric brain cancer.
Cincinnati’s Ronald McDonald House provides a supportive home-away-from-home for families and their children receiving medical treatment in the area, regardless of their ability to pay.
FC Cincinnati return home against Inter Miami CF on Saturday, September 4. First kick is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the game will be televised on WSTR 64, carried on the radio on ESPN1350, streamed regionally on fccincinnati.com/stream, and out of market on ESPN+.
