metro
From Darkness Light
Kids Kicking Cancer helps sick kids find their power and purpose.
Budding Martial Artists
Richard Prowden, chief martial arts ther-
apist for Kids Kicking Cancer, has been
with the organization for eight years. He
said he's learned a lot from the children
in the program.
"So much of my
martial arts was
physical before said
Prowden, who's been
a martial artist for 39
years. "But with the
children, there are no
high-impact moves, no
body-to-body contact." Richard
Instead, he and
Prowden
the children work on
guided imagery and
breathing techniques,
tools that help the
children realize that
they're powerful and
help them to fight their
battle.
"So many of the
Cindy Cohen
young people, 3 years
old and up, are mature beyond their
years," Prowden added. "They look out for
others; it's amazing. When I lost my dad,
the number of kids who called me and
were concerned blew me away."
Jackie Headapohl
Managing Editor
C
all me Sunflower."
"Kate Sunflower?" asks Rabbi
G.
"Just Sunflower," says the 5-year-old
with fuzzy blond hair, a dusting of freckles
across her nose and a toothless smile a
mile wide. "I've got sunflower power!" she
says before prancing away.
Kate "just call me Sunflower" Michaels
is in remission from kidney cancer that
was diagnosed at age 4. She's at her week-
ly martial arts class, a service of Kids
Kicking Cancer, a nonprofit founded in
1999 by Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg (just
call him Rabbi G).
Kids Kicking Cancer teaches martial
arts techniques to very sick children and
their families, helping to empower them
physically, emotionally and spiritually in
their battle against illness, pain and fear.
Their mantra is "Power, Peace, Purpose"
and the techniques they use help children
gain power over their circumstances,
push pain away and bring in peace and
light. The children achieve purpose
through teaching the skills they've mas-
tered to others. The group, which began
with an initial enrollment of 12 chil-
dren, served more than 1,000 patients
and their family members in the Metro
Detroit area this past year.
Purpose Born Of Pain
Rabbi G launched Kids Kicking Cancer 13
years ago, but its impetus is much older.
Thirty-two years ago, his 2-year-old
daughter Sara was diagnosed with leuke-
mia. "She was an amazing little spirit:' he
said. "Despite her painful treatments, she
would comfort me. She would pat me on
the back, and say, 'It's OK, Abba:"
Sadly, she lost her battle with cancer.
Seven years later, when Rabbi G found
himself at Young Israel of Southfield, he
was asked to be director of a pediatric
oncology camp. It was there he first
learned of using martial arts as a thera-
peutic tool.
Kids Kicking Cancer exists to provide
children with tools to help them lower
their pain. More than 88 percent of the
organization's interventions profoundly
lower a child's pain.
What's more, the tools also give the
children power and purpose. "When
you ask our kids, 'What's your purpose?'
they'll yell out, `To teach the world!' By
allowing the children to know that they
10 June 14 • 2012
Luke Michaels, 4, of Waterford; Daniel Rosenfeld, 5, of Bloomfield Township; Kate
Michaels, 5, of Waterford; Theresa, 4, and Benjamin, 7, both of Huntington Woods
.
can teach their parents, the doctors and
the nurses, it gives them a sense of con-
trol over their situation," said Rabbi G,
national director.
The bulk of the kids in the program
find out about Kids Kicking Cancer
through the hospital system. "Parents
will call us or the kids will recommend
the program to other kids:' said Cindy
Cohen, Michigan program director for
Kids Kicking Cancer. "There's no charge.
Patients just need their physician's OK to
participate."
Ill children, even those in the midst of
heavy-duty treatment, can participate.
The martial arts therapists will work
with children in their hospital rooms or
at their homes if need be.
"Brothers and sisters are also a part of
everything we do:' added Cohen. "Cancer
or other serious illness affects the whole
family."
Black Belts
Kids Kicking Cancer has a program
where it awards black belts to children
who are at the end of their lives. On one
side of the belt is the child's name, on the
other the words "master teacher."
"We've had kids as young as 5 say that
they defeated their cancer, not because
they recovered, but because they're not
angry, they're not afraid, and they're
more connected to God and the people
around them:' Rabbi G said.
He tells of one child who was not
expected to live out the week. A black belt
ceremony was held by the child's hospital
bed. Surprising his doctors, the child
recovered enough to leave the hospital
and spend another six weeks at home
with his family before losing his battle.
"The concept of giving purpose to peo-
ple going though pain, especially children,
is unique — and powerful," he added.
Cohen said she considers it an honor
and a privilege to be a part of these
children's lives as they go through their
journeys. "The families need and rely on
the support we offer:' she said. "If a child
does not survive, the families often con-
tinue on in our program."