Childhood Cancer Takes Center Stage At Hudson River Derby

As part of Major League Soccer’s “Kick Childhood Cancer” campaign, Hope & Heroes and New York City Football Club (NYCFC) teamed up to raise awareness at the Hudson River Derby on Saturday, September 16, 2023. 

Among the 28,000 fans and supporters at Yankee Stadium were several patient families from the New York tri-state region. The Criscuoli, Duda, and Ford families enjoyed a fun afternoon of premier soccer action with special guest accommodations and themed-swag from NYCFC and Hope & Heroes.

Seventeen-year-old John Criscuoli, a childhood cancer survivor, led NYCFC onto the field at the start of the game. Luke Duda and Hank Ford—also childhood cancer survivors—alongside their families, received on-field recognition during halftime. Other highlights included the debut of a new Hope & Heroes message video.

Many thanks to our partner, NYCFC, and our patient families for making this an exciting event and shining a light on the cause of childhood cancer!