Arena Football League (AFL) Kicker Carlos Martinez Joins Kicking for the Dream’s Effort to Fight Ovarian Cancer
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) July 13, 2013 -- Arena Football League (AFL) kicker Carlos Martinez, of the Philadelphia Soul, has joined Kicking for The Dream’s effort to fight ovarian cancer according to NFL Kicker, and Kicking For The Dream founder, Billy Cundiff.
"Carlos is a great kicker and we are excited he is supporting Kicking ForThe Dream," says Cundiff. "Carlos had a special relationship with Colleen and in the past has raised money in her honor. He is continuing that tradition with Kicking For The Dream. It's special to have our good friend Carlos be the first Arena League kicker on board.”
As a family friend of the Cundiff’s, Martinez says he knows how cancer can impact a family. He says he wants to join the fight against ovarian cancer to give families "hope."
"Colleen had such an impact on my life," says Martinez. "Ovarian cancer is a deadly disease that should be detected at its earliest stages to improve quality of life. I hope exposure and raising money will assist finding early detection that impacts women of all ages. Knowing how ovarian cancer can impact a family, I hope one day we all can kick game winning field goals by making a difference to extend human life. Let’s beat this together!"
Go here for Carlos Martinez's Kicking For The Dream page.
Martinez has signed with multiple NFL teams throughout his career (Eagles, Bucs, Falcons, Cowboys, Chiefs). Martinez has found success playing indoor football. While playing for the Georgia Force in 2011, Martinez was first team All-Arena team and the AFL Napa Kicker of the Year. In 2010, he was 2nd Team All-Arena Team for the Orlando Predators. In 2009, he was the AIFA Kicker of the Year when he played with the Columbus Lions.
Martinez played college football at Buena Vista University, and was a four-year letterman in football as a kicker. He was a three-time All-America selection, a three-time All-II AC honoree. As a junior, he was also named the NCAA Division III Kicker of the Year and the BVU Special Teams Player of the Year.
He is the all-time field goal leader at Buena Vista with 48 and second all-time in Division III.
Martinez also excelled as a punter in college, with an average exceeding 40 yards. Martinez capped off his senior season at BVU in 2002 with a selection to play for the American Football Coaches Association Division III All-Star Team which represented the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2001 Aztec Bowl. Martinez was named the USA MVP by the media in attendance as he averaged 55.2 per punt (8-441 yds.) to consistently pin Mexico deep in its own end in the contest.
ABOUT KICKING FOR THE DREAM:
Billy Cundiff, who has been an NFL kicker for over 10 years for teams such as the Cowboys, Saints, Browns, Ravens and Redskins, launched Kicking For The Dream in May of 2013, as an effort to support Colleen’s Dream Foundation, a foundation which raises money to support research for the early detection of, and improved treatment for, ovarian cancer.
ABOUT COLLEEN’S DREAM FOUNDATION:
Colleen’s Dream Foundation started in 2012 and supports research for early detection and improved treatment for ovarian cancer.
The story of Colleen’s Dream started in 2007 when Billy Cundiff’s mother-in-law, Colleen Drury, was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. It was only then that Colleen and her family realized a new world that was filled with invasive surgery, harsh chemotherapy, and lots of uncertainty.
Ovarian cancer is often referred to as "the silent killer" because many women do not discover their disease until it is in the late stages, which leads to many women succumbing to the disease within a short period of time. Unlike cervical or breast cancer, ovarian cancer does not have a standardized early detection procedure. When it comes to women’s health, ovarian cancer proves to be one of the deadliest diseases.
Colleen’s Dream Foundation believes it is important to raise money for research that will lead to reliable early detection testing and improved treatment for ovarian cancer. Because so little is known about ovarian cancer in proportion to other women’s health issues, we have an incredible opportunity for research and education.
Colleen’s Dream is working with some of the top research hospitals and universities that are researching ovarian cancer. By offering seed funding to young investigators, the Foundation funds cutting-edge research by some of the brightest, young minds in the world.
Colleen’s Dream Foundation is a qualified 501 (c)(3) tax exempt non-profit organization based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Admin, Kicking For The Dream, 480-269-2266, [email protected]
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