For the ninth year in a row, all of Major League Soccer will be teaming up with Continental Tire for Kick Childhood Cancer, a campaign dedicated to raising awareness for pediatric cancers and fundraise for further research. KCC benefits the Children’s Oncology Group (COG), an organization specifically devoted to adolescent cancer research. With a presence in more than 200 hospitals around the globe, COG is doing more than their fair share to fight childhood cancer, but they can use some help. 

As part of the league-wide campaign, Minnesota United will be recognizing Kick Childhood Cancer month throughout September. At this Saturday’s game against FC Dallas (September 3 @ 2:30 p.m. CT), as well as various other dates during the month, MNUFC will celebrate KCC, presented by M Health Fairview, with several elements:Players will wear adidas Kick Childhood Cancer warm-up tops on September 3 — which will be gifted to pediatric patient families — and a yellow Kick Childhood Cancer ribbon jersey patch on their jerseys.

• Our Minnesota Health Honorary Scoreboard Keeper Mason was diagnosed with childhood cancer when he was three. He underwent six months of chemotherapy, and is now eight years off treatments and sees the oncology department at University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital once per year for follow-up.
• Dr. Christopher Moertel will be recognized as the L’Étoile Du Nord during Saturday’s game against Dallas. Dr. Moertel is the Kenneth and Betty Jayne Dahlberg professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota School of Medicine.
• Children’s Cancer Research Fund will host families in a Party Suite at Allianz Field for the game, thanks to MNUFC partner SeatGeek.
• KCC-themed elements in-stadium will include gold nets, gold corner flags, gold LED boards and other digital video board elements.
• Additionally, throughout the month of September, MNUFC will recognize KCC by lighting the Allianz Field façade in gold on select days during the month of September – 9/2, 9/4, 9/12, and 9/17.
• Kick Childhood Cancer Scarf and Top merchandise will be available for purchase at the Black and Blue Team Store.
• Minnesota United player families and club employees will be creating one hundred (100) tie blankets that will be donated to Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
• Minnesota United, Major League Soccer and Continental Tire have teamed up to produce KCC-themed pajama pants to be donated to local children’s hospitals around the Twin Cities.
• For the entire month of September, fans are encouraged to round up their purchases as part of our Register Round Up program at the Black and Blue Team Store with proceeds benefiting Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital.
• Minnesota United and Twin Cities Harvest Festival have teamed up for a MNUFC themed corn maze with $0.35 of every ticket purchased during the fall season being donated to Children’s Cancer Research Fund. Tickets can be purchased here. 
• For the first time, an additional feature has been added to the campaign for the 2022 season. For the entire month of September, fans will have the opportunity to donate on behalf of their favorite MLS Club to a local charity as part of the Continental KCC Challenge. Visit www.TheContinentalKCCChallenge.com to donate and Continental Tire will match each donation up to $50,000.

Since the beginning of this campaign nine years ago, Kick Childhood Cancer has helped offset the costs of more than 40,000 clinical trial enrollments. By the end of this year, 4,000 more are expected to be added to that number.

If you are looking to get more directly involved in the cause, the final three bullet points are specifically for you. Between the Register Round Up program, the Continental KCC Challenge, and the corn maze at the Twin Cities Harvest Festival, there are plenty of ways to be part of this cause. Join MLS and Minnesota united this month to help fight against childhood cancer!