COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct 15, 2024) – Jaccob Slavin, American professional ice hockey defenseman and alternate captain for the NHL Carolina Hurricanes, and his wife Kylie Slavin have pledged to match up to $500,000 for Compassion International’s “The Fight for First” campaign; the campaign hopes to reach its goal of funding 500 Compassion survival centers, supporting 25,000 mothers and their babies, by the end of 2024.
Tragically, millions of children in poverty around the world die within their first year of life due to a lack of resources, delivery complications, malnutrition, and diseases. Many of these situations could be prevented with access to modern healthcare, clean food and water, and basic standards of living.
This is why Compassion International is partnering with professional athletes and their families, like the Slavins, to make a difference in the lives of mothers and babies around the world.
“Mothers and babies are literally in the fight for their lives,” says Jaccob. “Every year, nearly four million babies around the world don’t survive to their first birthday. That’s almost the same number of babies born in the US every year!”
“Like so many parents, I’ve experienced worry caring for our children when they’re seriously sick or injured,” shares Kylie. “But I always knew that we’d be able to rely on a team of medical professionals who would guide us through how to care for them. Sadly, that’s not the experience of many mothers and their babies around the world living in extreme poverty. When their baby gets sick or injured — often with an illness that’s considered preventable for most of us — they often have nowhere to turn for medical care.”
Compassion Survival Centers provide lifesaving medical care, nutritious food, spiritual guidance, support and more to mothers and their children. $1,000 cares for one mother and her baby until their first birthday. “The Fight for First” is set to fund 500 Survival Centers around the world and, with 455 centers already funded, the team is ready to make that final push, with hopes to reach their goal by December 2024.
“Athletes know how important firsts are. You fight for your first NHL game, your first NHL goal, your first Stanley Cup. So do moms. They fight for their baby’s first smile, first steps and first birthday. We’re in a great position to help fight for those firsts,” notes Jaccob. “We hope people will join us to make this a reality for more moms and babies around the world.”
To learn more about this campaign, or to donate, visit TheFightforFirst.com
Compassion International previously teamed up with professional athletes from numerous sports to complete Fill the Stadium, an effort in direct response to food shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign raised over $38 million and provided life-saving food and support to 76,473 children around the world.
Compassion International is a Christian child development organization working to release children from poverty in Jesus' name. Founded in 1952, Compassion partners with more than 8,500 local churches in 29 program countries to deliver spiritual, economic, social, and physical care to over two million babies, children, and young adults in poverty. Ranked No. 13 in Forbes' America's Top Charities List in 2023, Compassion is a founding member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and an accredited charity with the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. For more information about Compassion’s child development through a sponsorship program, visit compassion.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
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To interview Jaccob Slavin or a representative from The Fight for First, contact [email protected], Jeff Tolson, 610.584.1096, ext. 108.