Jovante Woods Foundation Seeks $600,000 in Donations to Support Testing and Educational Programs in Communities with High Incidence of Asthma

LAS VEGAS and CINCINNATI, April 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elbert "Ickey" Woods and the Jovante Woods Foundation today announced the kick-off of the "Score 6 for 24" fundraising campaign at the organization's annual golf tournament in Las Vegas. In memory of Jovante, who wore No. 24 as a high-school football player, the Foundation is seeking $600,000 in donations to support the continued expansion of its asthma testing and educational initiatives geared toward families with children susceptible to the disease. Jovante died following an acute asthma attack after football practice in August 2010. Click here to donate online.

Ickey and Chandra Woods established the Foundation to raise awareness of the need for new medicines and to educate families about overall asthma treatment management. Since its launch, the Foundation has hosted asthma testing events and fundraisers at schools, community centers, and other venues in Ohio, California, and Nevada, where Ickey was a student-athlete at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and a member of the school's  Athletics Hall of Fame. Last Friday, the Foundation hosted an asthma awareness day with free testing at the UNLV Football facility. More than 100 children and their family members participated.

"Last year we announced one of our first corporate partnerships – a collaboration with Connect Biopharma," Ickey said. "Thanks to the wonderful Connect team, we were able to accelerate our work and host testing events like the recent one at UNLV. Now, we are calling on donors to help us fund the program's expansion. We want to move from one or two events each quarter to a series of monthly activities nationwide. As a rookie with the Bengals in 1988, I crossed the goal line 15 times during the regular season and three more times during the playoffs. This brought six points each time to my team. I ask others to help us get across the goal line and score six for the Foundation. We want kids with asthma to win this battle."  

More than one million people visit a hospital emergency department each year because of an acute exacerbation with up to 30% of these individuals hospitalized for two to three days. Additionally, in the four-week period following an acute attack, approximately 50% of individuals will experience either a worsening of the initial attack or another exacerbation that requires medical intervention such as a return visit to an emergency department or urgent care clinic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 3,500 people in the U.S. die from asthma each year.

Drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft, Ickey quickly made his mark in professional football. During his rookie season, he rushed for 1,066 yards, helping lead the Bengals to Super Bowl XXIII. He became internationally known for his celebratory touchdown dance, the "Ickey Shuffle," which remains a cultural phenomenon and has led Ickey to star in television commercials.

For more information about the Jovante Woods Foundation and upcoming events, visit https://jovante-woods-foundation.lovable.app/. Follow the Foundation on social media channels: Facebook, Instagram and X.

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SOURCE Jovante Woods Foundation