During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Sporting Kansas City has made a team-wide effort to Kick Childhood Cancer.
Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Minnesota United FC served as the annual Kick Childhood Cancer match at Children’s Mercy Park, headlining a number of initiatives led by Sporting Kansas City and The Victory Project—the club’s foundation dedicated to helping children and families affected by cancer—during the month of September.
In the lead-up to the match, Sporting and The Victory Project welcomed Easton—a cancer survivor and third grader from Hoyt, Kansas—to training at Compass Minerals National Performance Center. A soccer player himself, Easton completed his final chemotherapy treatment last Friday.
Easton was The Victory Project honoree for Sunday’s game, enjoying the action from the Victory Suite in the northwest corner of Children’s Mercy Park, and was joined virtually by numerous other children and families who have visited the stadium in the past. In lieu of the typical on-field recognition at past Kick Childhood Cancer matches, previous Victory Project honorees and families were recognized virtually via video and were treated to behind-the-scenes moments before kickoff, including tunnel footage of the players before they entered the field.
Although the official Kick Childhood Cancer match is in the books, Sporting and The Victory Project will champion the campaign during each of the club’s next two home games on Sept. 19 and 23. That means fans will have the opportunity to shop from a variety of Kick Childhood Cancer retail items, including scarves and beanies. For every beanie sold, a beanie will be donated to Children’s Mercy Hospital.
On the field, the Kick Childhood Cancer campaign features a commemorative gold ribbon on the adidas 2020 MLS Nativo XXV Official Match Ball as well as gold corner flags and goal nets. Players are wearing gold captain’s armbands and gold ribbon jersey patches, technical staff are donning Kick Childhood Cancer pins, and PRO referees are sporting gold wristbands.
Sporting and The Victory Project kicked off the month with a pair of blood drives at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 3 and 4. With almost all pediatric cancer patients needing blood transfusions, Sporting partnered with Community Blood Center and donated nearly 90 units of blood across the two days. Among those who donated was Sporting Manager Peter Vermes.
Looking to get involved in Kick Childhood Cancer yourself?
Supporters can visit victorykc.org/5050 through the end of September to participate in the Kick Childhood Cancer 50/50 raffle. One winning contestant will receive half of the net proceeds, while the other half will go to The Victory Project.
Fans can also support the campaign by submitting ‘Messages of Hope’ using #KickChildhoodCancer on social media channels. Continental Tire will donate $25 to fund pediatric cancer research (up to $50,000) during the month of September for every post that uses the hashtag.
A limited number of tickets to Sporting’s next two home matches—Saturday against FC Dallas and next Wednesday, Sept. 23, against Orlando City SC—are now available at SeatGeek.com. Both games at Children’s Mercy Park will be held at a reduced capacity of 18 percent.
