KIDS KICKING CANCER RECEIVES $500,000 MICHIGAN HEALTH ENDOWMENT FUND GRANT TO SUPPORT FIRST OF IT’S KIND MENTAL HEALTH MOBILE APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
Non-profit awarded highest grant offering to help opioid addiction through innovative app.
Southfield, MI, Jan. 22, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kids Kicking Cancer, an international non-profit organization that provides pain management and empowerment to children and families facing chronic and acute life-threatening illness through martial arts therapy, today announced it has received a $500,000 grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund. As part of Kids Kicking Cancer’s recently launched *Heroes Circle®* program, the funds will support the development of a mobile application that will help adults who are facing mental health challenges, including opioid addiction, conquer their “inner beast” through evidence-based therapeutic martial arts techniques taught by the children of Kids Kicking Cancer. The announcement was made by Kids Kicking Cancer Founder Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg.
“The Heroes Circle is a global healing and wellness initiative inspired by the children of Kids Kicking Cancer,” said the Rabbi. “While the core mission of Kids Kicking Cancer focuses on the very sick children who occupy the center of our circle, studies have found that the same methods that benefit sick children can help people with other pain types like addiction. The adult patients are motivated to help very sick children while the little heroes have less pain when they realize that they have become teachers to the world (the children appear as avatars giving them voice while protecting their identities). There is no Heroes Circle® like this in the world that allows adults in mental anguish facing substance abuse, depression and anxiety to self-regulate while lowering the pain of beautiful children.
The mobile application will assist with changing the brains of opioid and heroin addicts by teaching them how to self-regulate with a Breath Brake®, a proven breathing and meditative technique that puts the brakes on pain, stress and anxiety, recognize their inner beast and help children who are very sick at the same time. A recent study published in The Journal of Pain Research, shows the impact of the Heroes Circle Program on the little warriors of Kids Kicking Cancer.
“Recovery from substance use disorders is a daily struggle,” said Senior Fellow & Program Officer at Michigan Health Endowment Fund Lynda Zeller. “We look forward to seeing how the power, peace and purpose of the Heroes Circle can make a positive and lasting difference for people managing this chronic disease.”
Kids Kicking Cancer (KKC) is an international non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Those interested in supporting Kids Kicking Cancer may visit kidskickingcancer.org/donate/.
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*About the Michigan Health Endowment Fund*
The Health Fund makes grants to non-profit organizations and agencies doing innovative, evidence-based work to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents. Their grantees are their partners, and they work closely with them to hone great ideas, address unforeseen challenges and evaluate the impact of their work.
*About Kids Kicking Cancer *
Kids Kicking Cancer (KKC) is an international non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides pain management and empowerment to children and families facing chronic and acute life-threatening illness. Through an innovative approach that merges modern integrative medicine with traditional martial arts, KKC addresses the needs of children and families in crisis, empowering them to heal physically, spiritually & emotionally. All services provided by Kids Kicking Cancer are at no cost to the children and their families. Founded in Michigan in 1999, KKC services children with a variety of challenges, including cancer & sickle cell disease in over 90 facilities in seven countries. For more information, please visit kidskickingcancer.org.
Rabbi G. (Elimelech Goldberg) is a clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the Wayne State University School of Medicine.
CONTACT: Bluma Whitt
Kids Kicking Cancer
(248) 864-8238
bwhitt@kidskickingcancer.org