Kickball Tournament Raises Funds for Kids Battling Cancer

Submitted to Patch

Despite a cool and wet day, 340 elementary, middle, junior high and high school students united to show their overwhelming support for other kids battling cancer by raising $57,000 at the 3rd Annual Wilmette Kicks-It for Cancer Kickball Tournament on Friday, June 12.

Kick-It is an all volunteer effort that raises funds for pediatric cancer research through kickball. The event is a fundraising initiative of Flashes of Hope, a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Since 2013, Wilmette Kicks-It for Cancer has raised $117,000 for pediatric cancer research. Nationally, Flashes of Hope has raised over $3.1 million dollars through Kick-It and other initiatives since 2009. Cancer is the leading disease killer of children yet childhood cancer receives only four percent of funding for research and the latest pediatric drug cancer was unveiled 20 years ago.

Related on Patch: Exercise Studio Holding Fundraiser For Young Boy With Tumor

“For the third consecutive year I am blown away by the support of kids in our community as they worked together to raise desperately needed funds for other kids battling cancer,” said Barrie Dekker, Flashes of Hope Chicago Chapter Director. “We continue to grow the event and raise more money for research, which we hope will help eventually bring an end to cancer”, adds Dekker.

Kick-It was founded by a 10-year-old cancer patient from Ohio during his second battle with cancer. He asked his parents if he could have a kickball game to raise money for research, 500 people came to support him and launched his big dream to cure cancer through his favorite game.

This year’s Wilmette Kicks-It For Cancer Kickball Tournament honored Devin Dixit, a send grader at Harper Elementary School in Wilmette. Devin was recently diagnosed with a brainstem glioma tumor and is currently undergoing weekly chemotherapy treatments at Lurie Children’s Hospital. A team honoring Devin participated in the tournament.

Also on Patch: 4th of July Parade in Skokie Honors War Veterans

The top individual fundraiser for this year’s event was Aidan Sterrett, an incoming 6th grader at Highcrest Middle School in Wilmette. Aidan raised more than $3,000 through various efforts including emails and phone calls. As the top fundraiser, Aidan received a new GoPro video camera and a series of passes from the school’s principal allowing him to come to school late.

“We encourage groups of all sizes ranging from schools and sports teams, to work, to community or multiple families from throughout the Chicago area to consider hosting their own Kick-It tournament. The fundraising dollars are essential to preventing future generations of kids from battling cancer,” adds Dekker.

For more information on Wilmette Kick-It, please contact (440) 461-KICK (5425) or www.kick-it.org/games/2015/06/wilmette-kicks-it-for-cancer. For more information on Flashes of Hope see www.flashesofhope.org.