Childhood Cancer Awareness

In collaboration with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital™, Starlight Children’s Foundation and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, MLS W.O.R.K.S. raised an awareness and funds in September 2011 to support Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Goals for St. Jude

MLS W.O.R.K.S. has partnered with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital ™ to develop the Goals for St. Jude Program. Chicago Fire’s Logan Pause, New York Red Bulls’ Mehdi Ballouchy, Chivas USA’s Michael Lahoud and San Jose Earthquakes’ Jason Hernandez serve as local and national ambassadors for the program.

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Starlight Children’s Foundation

MLS W.O.R.K.S. has partnered with Starlight Children’s Foundation to support seriously ill children and their families on an ongoing basis – from the child’s diagnosis and through the entire course of the illness.

On Wednesday, November 16, as part of the MLS Cup 2011 trophy tour, former Galaxy stars and MLS Cup winners Chris Klein and Cobi Jones were joined by the LA Galaxy mascot, Cozmo, for the placement of two Starlight Fun Centers™ (mobile entertainment unit) at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Chris and Cobi visited with patients and participated in soccer themed crafts and games following the Fun Center™ dedications. Patients also had the opportunity to take pictures with the Philip F. Anschutz trophy. PHOTOS>>

MLS W.O.R.K.S., the San Jose Earthquakes and Starlight Children’s Foundation joined together on September 7-9 to donate Fun Centers™ to three Bay Area Hospitals. Jason Hernandez and Bobby Burling helped deliver the mobile entertainment unit to Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital in Palo Alto, CA. David Bingham helped deliver a unit to Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, CA and John Busch and Kelly Gray helped donate a Fun Center™ to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in Santa Clara, CA. Players and kids enjoyed playing video games on the new units and participating in soccer themed crafts. Starlight Children's Foundation has been dedicated to improving the quality of life for children with chronic and life-threatening illnesses and life-altering injuries by providing entertainment, education and family activities that help them cope with the pain, fear and isolation of prolonged illness. MORE >> PHOTOS>>

On Wednesday July 27^th, prior to the All-Star game at Red Bull Arena, MLS W.O.R.K.S. partnered with Starlight Children’s Foundation for the donation of a Fun Center™(mobile entertainment unit) to the pediatric floor at Hackensack University Medical Center. Red Bulls forward Luke Rodgers and goal keeper coach Todd Hoffard challenged some children to games on the Fun Center, took part in soccer themed crafts and made bedside visits to other children on the floor. PHOTOS>>

The partnership officially kicked off during MLS Cup 2010 with a donation of a Starlight Fun Center™ at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in downtown Toronto. Designed to combat the fatigue, fear and loneliness faced by hospitalized children, Fun Centers feature a gaming system, DVD player and LCD TV. Past MLS Cup winners Dwayne De Rosario and Jon Conway of Toronto FC and former MLS player Geoff Aunger -- the first Canadian to win MLS Cup (1999) -- were on hand to play Fun Center games with young patients and participate in other activities prior to the unit’s dedication ceremony. PHOTOS>>

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