Find out how you can attend, support or donate to this amazing cause!
Ethan Zohn has confirmed he will be attending a special event hosted by the Sunrise Association that will benefit families battling childhood cancer in the Greater Philadelphia Region on Sunday, May 7th. Zohn is a two-time cancer survivor, philanthropist, former pro soccer player and three-time CBS Survivor contestant who was the winner of Survivor: Africa.
The 1st Annual GO FOR GOLD Soccer Challenge and Carnival will be held on May 7th from 9:30 AM to 1 PM at the Katz-Dalsey Academy Charter School in Camden, New Jersey. The event will include a 4v4 recreational soccer tournament for ages 3-10, and it will also feature games, characters, arts and crafts, food trucks and other forms of entertainment for all attendees to enjoy.
“I am really looking forward to the GO FOR GOLD event, and I am grateful to the Sunrise Association for getting me involved,” said Ethan Zohn. “As someone with two older brothers, I understand how special it is to share time with your siblings in an environment like this. Growing up, we spent each summer of our childhood in camps, and I will always cherish those memories. I love that Sunrise Association is offering these kids the opportunity to forget everything else for a day and just spend time with their siblings and family.”
The philanthropic Zohn competed in Survivor: Africa, and he eventually emerged victorious as the sole survivor. Zohn took his winnings from Survivor and co-founded Grassroot Soccer in 2002, which is an adolescent health organization that leverages the power of soccer to connect young people with mentors, information and wellness services. The original concept for Grassroot Soccer came to Zohn while he was playing professionally in Zimbabwe for Highlanders FC. His club regularly visited schools to discuss health awareness with young people, and he quickly noticed that professional athletes were the best mediators to deliver these important messages to the students. Along with his partners, he expanded that thought process through funding from Grassroot Soccer to visit more schools and educate more young people.
Zohn has since competed on Survivor two more times, and he has also appeared on many other programs as well. However, his greatest battles occurred off the television screen. He was diagnosed with a rare type of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2009, but he thankfully went into remission the following year. However, his cancer returned in 2011 and forced him to undergo extensive treatment before defeating it for a second time in 2013.
In addition to his television work, Zohn takes the stage for motivational speaking engagements, and he has also expanded his entrepreneurial talents into new industries. However, he has never lost sight of his philanthropic roots, which is why he happily accepted an invitation to appear at the upcoming GO FOR GOLD Soccer Challenge and Carnival.
“Our May 7th Youth Soccer Challenge and Community Carnival is our way of both giving back and asking the community to come and get to know who we are and what we do,” said Rachel Black, Executive Director of Sunrise Day Camp for the Greater Philadelphia Region. “We are here to serve as part of the village of support for all the children in our region facing a pediatric oncology diagnosis now, in addition to the over 600 new children that are diagnosed annually in our region alone.”
The 1st Annual GO FOR GOLD Soccer Challenge and Carnival will be a fun-filled event in a festival atmosphere. New Jersey Youth Soccer will also be supporting the event through its Innovate to Grow Initiative as part of the 4v4 Festival Series Sponsored by US Youth Soccer League America, and their staff will help with structuring the soccer activities.
The Sunrise Association recognizes the incredible stress that is placed on a family when a child is battling any form of cancer, and their mission is to help bring back the joys of childhood to those children, their siblings and their parents. The Sunrise Association organizes summer camps at seven locations throughout the nation in addition to an international camp in Israel and a virtual experience as well. Further, the Sunrise Association conducts year-round programs and in-hospital recreation activities, all of which are offered completely free of charge.
Any members of the Greater Philadelphia Community who would like to support the 1st Annual GO FOR GOLD Soccer Challenge and Carnival are encouraged to attend. Additionally, sponsorship opportunities are available for interested businesses, with all funds going to the Sunrise Association to help families battling childhood cancer.
