Ethan Zohn already proved himself to be a survivor: Without an ounce of backstabbing or betrayal, the curly haired soccer player took home the million-dollar prize on reality TV’s Survivor: Africa back in 2002.
He also proved himself a philanthropist, funneling the bulk of his million-dollar prize into founding Grassroot Soccer—a charity dedicated to fighting HIV/AIDS in Africa. But these days, Zohn has evolved into a philanthropic survivor in ways he never imagined.
(Click on the video link above to hear his message.)
Diagnosed with a rare form of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma back in the spring of 2009, Zohn has been battling for his life with intense chemotherapy and radiation treatments for the past eight months. But cancer has hardly slowed him down when it comes to raising money and awareness for the causes close to his heart.
Whether traveling to Boston’s Fenway Park last fall to raise money for The Jimmy Fund or partnering with Nike to raise money for Grassroot Soccer through the sale of (Red) shoelaces, Zohn has continued to make the time and put in the effort to give back.
Now, as he sits in a hospital bed in Manhattan, spending 30 days in isolation while undergoing a complete stem-cell transplant that his doctors hope will rid his body of cancer for good, Zohn is ramping up to participate in Cycle For Survival — an indoor team cycling fundraiser in support of research on rare cancers at Memorial Sloan-Kettering.
Just before his transplant began, Zohn even took the time to shoot a video in support of the cause, which is available to view right here.
“Cycle For Survival funded research that has already led to a new, more effective chemotherapy treatment,” Zohn says in the video. “And when your efforts translate so quickly to real progress, it gives so much hope to people like me.”
Zohn continues: “I haven’t been feeling so athletic lately. But I intend to be right there cycling alongside you at this year’s event.”
Founded in 2007 by patient Jennifer Goodman Linn, Cycle for Survival has raised more than $2 million already. This year, the fundraiser has expanded to accommodate a total of 400 teams riding at two Equinox locations in NYC on January 31, and an additional 100 teams at the new Chicago location on February 6.
Out-of-town participants can register to ride on satellite teams of any size at any time during the year.
Lastly, non-riders can support the cause simply by making a donation.
So get up. Get riding. Get involved.
If Zohn can do it, you can too.
Screen grabs courtesy Cycle For Survival