Kids Kicking Cancer

Kids Kicking Cancer is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides weekly classes for children, both inpatient and outpatient, in the mind-body techniques found in the martial arts. Our mission is “to ease the pain of very sick children while empowering them to heal physically, spiritually and emotionally.”

Through an innovative program that merges modern integrative medicine with traditional martial arts, Kids Kicking Cancer addresses the overwhelming needs of children with illness. Specially trained black belt martial artists teach breathing, visualization, and relaxation techniques, in addition to traditional martial arts moves to help empower the children and provide them with a sense of power, peace and purpose. Martial arts classes, support during hospital & clinic procedures, uniforms, and transportation to and from classes are provided to families at no cost.

Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg, founder and director of Kids Kicking Cancer, holds a First Degree Black Belt in Choi Kwang Do. Rabbi G (as he is fondly called by his students) lost his first child to leukemia at the age of two and brings a wealth of personal experience and sensitivity to dealing with children and families facing life-threatening illness. His commitment to ease the pain of very sick children, and his dream of bringing healing through the empowering focus of the martial arts, resulted in the creation of Kids Kicking Cancer in June of 1999.

Rabbi G’s experience in the martial arts, as a spiritual leader and as a parent who can identify with other parents facing serious disease, has provided him with remarkable insight into issues facing children and families with a diagnosis of cancer.