Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation: How the Figure Skating Icon Is Making an Impact in the Fight Against Cancer
April 18, 2024
Figure skating legend Scott Hamilton took home the gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics, and now he’s got his eyes on a new prize: fighting cancer.
Scott appeared on Thursday’s episode of “The Jennifer Hudson Show” to discuss his decades-long battle with cancer and the foundation he created in honor of his late mother, who passed away from cancer when Scott was a boy.
“I loved her more than anyone else on the planet,” Scott told Jennifer Hudson on the show. “I went on a walk, and I thought, ‘I don’t have to live without her. I can take her with me wherever I go.’”
He said that believing his mother was still with him motivated him to work harder, and his figure skating career took off. “I took her to the ice with me, and it just changed everything,” he said.
He became a fundraiser after his mother’s death, and continued his efforts as an activist when he was first diagnosed with testicular and abdomen cancer in 1997.
Scott beat cancer that time, but he was later diagnosed with brain tumors in 2004, 2010, and 2016.
He went through several surgeries to remove the tumors, but after receiving his third brain tumor diagnosis, he made headlines when he decided to forgo treatment and dedicate himself to living life to the fullest.
“I got tired of fighting the medical system, and so I just said, ‘This thing doesn’t exist,’” he said.
Scott revealed that the only goal he had in mind was “get strong.” He now lives his life with gratitude and focuses on doing his part to eradicate cancer.
The Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation
In 2014, Scott launched the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation — CARES standing for Cancer Alliance for Research Education and Survivorship — which is dedicated to changing the future of cancer by funding advanced, innovative research that treats the cancer while sparing the patient.
The foundation focuses on funding immunotherapy and targeted therapy at National Cancer Institute-accredited institutions and cancer charities in various cities across the country.
It also hosts a number of events, including Sk8 to Elimin8 Cancer, which asks people to fundraise for cancer research and skate 35 laps to honor and remember those who have been impacted by cancer.
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View StoryScott’s efforts are paying off: As he proudly told Jennifer on the show, on the night of the 40th anniversary of his winning gold at the Olympics, they were able to announce that a research program studying the same cancer that his mother suffered from is going into clinical trial — 47 years after her passing.
“It didn’t cost as much as you think it costs to change the world,” he said.
To learn more about the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation and donate to cancer research, visit scottcares.org.
“The Jennifer Hudson Show” airs weekdays. Here’s when to watch in your area.