Pass the controller because the games are on!
The GameChanger Charity and American Cancer Society came together for its ‘#GamersBeatCancer’ networking social, a kickoff event for the main tournament on August 10.
The event was held at Axis Replay aimed to raise awareness for pediatric cancer research. This an issue that led Ryan Bloch, founder of the Aileen Sherman Memorial Fund, to fly from California to help.
“My grandma had passed away from a rare cancer. And it’s just like, that experience was like, I don’t want other people to have the same experience,” Bloch said. “[Because] almost everybody nowadays is effected somewhat, like a family member by cancer.”
Games from ‘Mario Kart’ and ‘Fortnite’ were up for grabs to gamers of various ages.
Jim Carol, CEO of the GameChanger Charity, said gamers have been supportive of the organization’s mission, ever since it began thirteen years ago.
“And what we’re seeing is this is Atlanta, these are great gamers, these are great families, they’re young people. So they’re here really to reflect who they are,” Carol said. “This gaming community, people don’t understand. They’re very kind, they’re very benevolent, and they really are involved.”
The American Cancer Society became involved when they saw the impact Carol was making.
“When we first met Jim Carol at GameChanger, we saw what he was doing in the streaming space, but also saw what he was doing in bringing counsels to sick kids. Merch to sick kids that are kind of stuck in this space,” Zoe Glade, vice president of digital marketing at the American Cancer Society, said.
The upcoming tournament will be held at Axis Replay as well, allowing participants to play three matches in a bracket with a chance to be crowned as champion.
Note: This story was produced for 11Alive’s The A-Scene, NBC Atlanta’s premier source for film and entertainment news in Georgia.
