SAN DIEGO – For five local children battling pediatric cancer, Friday night at Snapdragon Stadium represented far more than a soccer match.
As part of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, San Diego Wave FC welcomed five pediatric cancer warriors to Friday’s match against the Kansas City Current, giving them an opportunity to celebrate their journeys alongside the players they had spent the summer getting to know.
The experience began in June through a partnership between Triumph Together, the Wave players and the children’s families. Over the following months, the children participated in VIP experiences that included meeting their paired players, attending training sessions and collaborating with them to design customized cleats.
The five children, Adalyn, 5; Alexia, 12; Addi, 15; Charlie, 10; and Venice, 11, were paired with Wave players Kenza Dali, Nya Harrison, Didi Haracic, Kristen McNabb and Kennedy Wesley.
After months of designing and waiting, the players and children finally got to see the finished cleats together Friday.
The evening began with the children entering Snapdragon Stadium through the players’ tunnel alongside their Wave partners while wearing “Kicking It to Cancer” shirts. From there, they took part in a pregame celebration honoring Childhood Cancer Awareness Month before unveiling the custom footwear they had created together.
Neither the players nor the children had seen the finished products beforehand, making the unveiling a surprise for everyone involved. The children also received special pairs of their own as part of the celebration.
For the Wave players, the experience offered an opportunity to build relationships that went beyond their time on the field.
Dali, Harrison, Haracic, McNabb and Wesley spent the summer getting to know the children and their families, turning what began as a soccer experience into personal connections.
That connection was part of Triumph Together’s larger mission. Founded by Jack Gates, the nonprofit creates meaningful relationships between athletes and pediatric patients through VIP sports experiences designed to give children and their families memorable moments during difficult periods in their lives.
The organization recently joined forces with partner organization Project Outrun, bringing together two groups focused on using sports experiences to create connection and hope for children facing serious illnesses.
Friday’s celebration also carried a particularly significant moment for Venice.
After spending two years battling pre-B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the 11-year-old was scheduled to complete her final chemotherapy treatment earlier that day. During the Wave’s pregame activities, Venice rang the bell on the field to mark the milestone.
The ceremony gave the Wave and the other pediatric cancer warriors an opportunity to celebrate Venice’s journey while recognizing the strength of all five children.
The night brought together the different parts of the summer-long experience, the player relationships, the custom cleats and the time spent together, while giving the children a chance to experience a Wave match alongside the players who had become part of their journey.
After the match, the girls were scheduled to return to the field to meet with their players, closing out an evening centered on something that extended far beyond the final score.
For the five pediatric cancer warriors, Friday’s match was the culmination of a summer spent building connections, creating memories and, through soccer, finding another reason to celebrate.
