Clarksville's Kathryn Hudson wins trip to World Cup through Craig Willinger Fund

The Craig Willinger Fund selected Kathryn Hudson of Clarksville, MD as its first honoree to travel to South Africa this summer. Kate and her father will travel to the World Cup to see the U.S. Men’s National Team play England on June 12.
 
Kate has dedicated 16 years of her life to playing soccer, earning All-County, All-Metro and All-State honors as a goalkeeper at River Hill High School in Columbia, MD, as well as at Division I University of Richmond.  She played her final year of eligibility at Virginia Commonwealth University, where Kate is in the process of working towards a master’s degree in social work.  While living her dream playing soccer, Kate’s most amazing accomplishment is overcoming a cancer diagnosis in February of 2004.  Diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, she continued playing soccer through five months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, finding a partner to her dream in Dr. Joseph Wiley, a pediatric oncologist at Sinai Hospital, who tailored Kate’s treatments around her soccer schedule.
 
Kate stepped up to the role of mentor, when she was introduced to 12-year old Amanda Post, another Sinai cancer patient and aspiring soccer player from Columbia.  Despite having the busy schedule of a Division I student-athlete, Kate stayed in contact with Amanda throughout her treatment and through the JV soccer experience at River Hill High School.  After Amanda’s cancer relapsed, Kate chose to run a marathon in honor of her friend and cancer buddy, an aspiring marathoner.  Kate completed the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon as a member of Team In Training, having raised $11,000 in honor of her friend Amanda.  Amanda lost her battle with cancer on May 17, 2009, just two weeks before the San Diego Marathon.
 
“We could not have found a better candidate than Kate as the fund’s first trip recipient,” said Craig Willinger, cancer survivor and founding member of the Craig Willinger Fund. “Kate exemplifies what we are all about: living an extraordinary life, despite the obstacles that fall in your way.”
 
The Craig Willinger Fund, formed in 2009, seeks to improve the lives of children and young adults stricken with cancer by providing a once in a lifetime opportunity to experience world-class soccer – both domestically and abroad. The Fund is actively seeking children and young adult living with cancer to provide them with their dream game.  For more information, visit www.cwfund.org.