THE HUDDLE

Welcome to the 2023 Fall edition of our newsletter, “The Huddle”, which we hope will be

a helpful source of news and information for our teammates, donors, volunteers, and friends.

To keep everyone in on the game plan, we encourage you to sign up on our website to

continue to receive this newsletter quarterly.

MEET MELODY!

This vibrant little girl is eight years old. Melody battled Ewing’s Sarcoma with METS to her lungs.

Melody was diagnosed with bone cancer in February of 2022. She suffered a fracture while performing cartwheels, which was the initial sign of her cancer. Her treatment included numerous rounds of chemotherapy. In addition, Melody underwent a major surgery during which her tumor was removed from her arm. During surgery, she also had her fibula bone removed from her leg in order to reconstruct her arm. Melody also underwent several weeks of radiation for her lungs.

This past June Melody had her three month scans which showed No Evidence of Disease! After a hard fought battle she was finally able to ring the bell to signify the end of her treatment journey! Melody is currently dealing with the after effects of treatment and is having to take medication to help with lung damage she sustained during radiation.

MEET HARRY!

This tough little boy will turn seven years old later this month. Harry is battling Medulloblastoma as well as Posterior Fossa Syndrome.

Harry’s world was forever changed on February 8, 2022 when doctors found a mass on his brain. Immediately upon finding this, Harry underwent a 10 hour surgery to remove the tumor. Following surgery, Harry began proton radiation as well as chemotherapy treatments.

Harry has found comfort in his new born baby sister throughout this journey. She has been a bright spot on his hardest days. In his free time, Harry loves playing outside and exploring all things nature related.

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

On August 5th, the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club teamed up with the Mike Rose Soccer Complex in Memphis for its second annual 3v3 tournament. Teams from all over the tri-state region participated in a series of short games to see who would walk away with the medal and the competition did not disappoint! The players got lots of touches, quick play, and battles all over the field, all for the teammates of the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club. We are honored to partner with the Mike Rose Soccer Complex on this fun event, which helps us further our message and promote our mission.

DONOR OF THE MONTH

The 2nd annual "Deadlifts for Charity" event, which was hosted by NBS Fitness, took place on August 5, 2023. With over 100 participants, including both kids and adults, nearly $4,000 was raised for the teammates of the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club. During the event, attendees competed against each other by doing two-minute max body weight deadlifts for max reps as well as a car deadlift! This family-friendly event featured multiple sponsors, food trucks, and lots of positive encouragement.

We are honored to be a repeat recipient of this event and are thankful to have NBS Fitness on the CKSC team! If you aren't familiar with NBS Fitness, check them out here. With two locations, NBS Fitness prides itself on providing guidance, accountability, and community while focusing on giving its clients the best hour of their day so they can live healthier, happier lives. e to have been chosen as the beneficiary of the May 12th soccer game between the Urbandale Jand Dowling gh school boys teams. The fundraiser, which raised $

Fans and Teammates of the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club,

We're excited to tell you about a way that you can support the CKSC with something you are already doing--shopping at Kroger!

The Kroger Community Rewards Program allows you to support Cancer Kickers Soccer Club every time you shop at Kroger by following these easy steps:

Visit https://kroger.com/signin to log into your Kroger Rewards account. If you don't have a loyalty account, take a second to create one in just a few simple steps.
Next, visit your account section of the website
On the left-hand side of the page, choose the "Community Rewards" option on the menu
Search for Cancer Kickers Soccer Club as the benefitting charity (or search by ID number "TR489")
Click "Enroll"
Now every time you use your Rewards number at check-out, a portion of your purchase will go to support the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club.

It's that easy to make a difference today.

NOTE FROM OUR FOUNDERS

As we reflect on the past quarter, we are reminded how blessed we are to have such loyal community partners. Two local businesses, NBS Fitness and Mike Rose Soccer Complex, held events recently to benefit the Cancer Kickers Soccer Club and their support meant the world to us and to our teammates. Both of these organizations have been rooting us on since the very beginning and we are so grateful to them, and to everyone who supports our mission. We couldn't do what we do without all of you!