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A committed athlete, Jennifer Scullin knew she had to make her mind rival her muscles. Having learned nearly four years ago that five friends had acquaintances battling cancer, she moved from offering limited sympathy to devising powerful advocacy. The president and founder of Philly Kicking Cancer will unite with 544 enemies of the malady Saturday at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, for the fourth annual Kickball Tournament to raise cancer research funds.
“It just irritated me to know people were suffering,” the Art Museum-area resident said Monday. “I had to go from saying ‘I’m sorry to hear that’ to working to stop the disease’s overall advances.”
Kickball, basketball and soccer form her sporting triumvirate, but the first seemed an amazing way to gather peers for a bit of levity while striving to counter devastation. With numerous fields and access to public transportation, FDR Park won the hosting honors for their August 2009 debut, which featured 18 teams and secured $10,000 for Philadelphia’s chapter of the American Cancer Society. The Northeast Philadelphia-based Fox Chase Cancer Center has reaped the rewards of the last two gatherings, as 70 teams helped to acquire more than $83,000 for its work. The 38-year-old facility will receive Saturday’s proceeds, too.
“We have found so many people who are supportive of our mission,” Scullin, who last year helped to incorporate her nonprofit as the Kicking Cancer Foundation, said. “People are living longer because professionals are making so many discoveries.”
With 48 teams registered, Scullin revealed her brainchild has easily exceeded $100,000 for its history, and she knows the outpouring of dollars and dedication has come at a critical time. According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer 2012 report, men possess a slightly less than 50 percent lifetime risk of developing cancer, with women possessing a slightly more than 33 percent chance. As the affliction avoids playing favorites, Philly Kicking Cancer has done so, too, stipulating that each nine-to-12-member squad must have a minimum of three females.
“That idea came from one of our sponsors, Philly Sport and Social Club,” Scullin said of the gender diversity that has helped to make the charity events synonymous with hard-fought professional battles. “Everyone has a competitive streak out there. The glory of winning combines with a desire to increase the quality and quantity of life to produce a wonderful day.”
<strong> The action will </strong> commence at 9:30 a.m., with each unit guaranteed three divisional games. The duels will last either seven innings or 25 minutes, and the most successful clubs will advance to the playoff bracket lasting from 4 to 6 p.m. Scullin and her colleagues are rewarding fundraising prowess by setting aside automatic playoff berths for those participants whose outreach has proven the most lucrative.
“That’s a new component of the tournament,” Scullin said, adding that a water balloon contest will likely delight participants and spectators, who might also encounter an obstacle course.
Scullin and friends, comprising Team Raven Lounge, will hope to claim the championship, but the outcome will not matter nearly as much as the result of their presence. The organizer acknowledged the chance to promote awareness drives participation, and she loves that people who had been content to be on a team have formed their own units.
“That fact is really big in backing our belief that we can grow and be able to inspire other cities to replicate our mission,” she said, noting she desires for New York City, where her brother resides, to emulate the City of Brotherly Love.
With registration full, she beamed about her organization’s good fortune and feels attendees will find great displays of athleticism and humanitarianism. The latter touched her at a promotional event, where a gentleman, planning to bowl with his children, inquired about her work.
“It turns out he had just lost his wife to cancer,” Scullin said. “He said how much he appreciated our efforts and gave us a contribution right there. Our mission is constant because cancer’s effects are, too.”
To donate, visit phillykickingcancer.org.
Contact Staff Writer Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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