When the New York Red Bulls take the field for warmups this Saturday afternoon, they’ll be sporting some special footwear.
The club will feature custom cleats to support and raise awareness for Tackle Kids Cancer before their game against Toronto FC at Red Bull Arena on Saturday (5 pm ET | TSN — Full TV & streaming info). Pediatric cancer patients from the New York/New Jersey area were paired with Red Bulls players to come up with designs, which were then brought to life by local artist Jessie Kavana.
Among the many designs, star striker Bradley Wright-Phillips’s boots will feature the popular Pokémon Pikachu in a Red Bulls t-shirt. Goalkeeper Luis Robles’s boots will include sprinkles, rainbows and plenty of color.
“We are very proud to further our partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health and Tackle Kids Cancer,” Red Bulls General Manager Marc de Grandpre said via press release on Thursday. “The collaborative effort and spirit of this project are a shining example of what we as an organization strive for: using the power of sport to be leaders in the community, championing worthwhile causes, and inspiring those who are experiencing difficult times in their lives.”
"I know with this organization we constantly say that we want to be a part of the community,” added Robles, “we want to be in the community and it is through Tackle Kids Cancer that we have an opportunity to serve our community, and through the sport of soccer we can make a difference in the lives of others."
Tackle Kids Cancer is an initiative of the Children’s Cancer Institute at Hackensack Meridian Health. It was founded to raise funds and awareness for pediatric cancer patients, with one hundred percent of all donations made benefitting the essential clinical care, unique support services and groundbreaking cancer research needed to find a cure.
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, and the Red Bulls are the latest MLS club to make a difference in their community, showing support for the Kick Childhood Cancer campaign.
