Alexandria, VA native to celebrate recovery from cancer with the U.S. Women’s National Team in London
BALTIMORE, MD – The Craig Willinger Fund (CWFund) proudly announces the selection of 22-year-old Jessica Foss of Alexandria, Virginia as our 17th honoree. Jess, a two-time cancer survivor and bone marrow transplant recipient, will travel to historic Wembley Stadium in London, England this November for an international friendly between the U.S. Women’s National Team and England.
In 2020, Jess was thrust into the biggest challenge of her life after a routine physical scheduled during the latter part of her senior year at West Potomac High School. A series of tests over four months revealed she had stage IV Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Jess received chemotherapy while attending her first semester at the University of Pittsburgh online during the COVID-19 pandemic, and was deemed clear of cancer in November. Unfortunately, a follow-up scan in December showed that the cancer had relapsed and that she would require a bone marrow transplant.
Jess began preparing for her transplant by receiving immunotherapy and surgery to ensure her body was cancer-free. She was able to harvest her own stem cells for her bone marrow transplant, and received post-transplant radiation to ensure the cancer would not recur a second time.
“Jess is a lifelong soccer player just like Craig was,” shared CWFund chairperson Emily Agueda. “She has taken her adversity and turned it into a lifelong passion through her pursuit of a nursing degree at Pitt and through advocacy for young cancer patients and fertility preservation awareness. There is no better way to celebrate Jess’s triumphs than visiting a hallowed soccer ground like Wembley Stadium when it’s hosting an epic match up like USA vs England.”
The Craig Willinger Fund, formed in 2009, seeks to improve the lives of children and young adults stricken with critical illnesses by providing once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to experience world-class soccer—both domestically and abroad. Since 2010, sixteen honorees have traveled to South Africa, Barcelona, Milan, London, Madrid, New York City, Kansas City, Orlando, Washington D.C., Manchester (UK), Leicester (UK), and Brazil, including two World Cup tournaments and a UEFA Champions League Final. Visit www.cwfund.org for more information.