Ethan Zohn is the host of “Earthtripping” and the 2002 winner of the reality television show ”Survivor.” With his $1 million dollar prize money, Ethan co-founded Grassroot Soccer, a nonprofit organization that trains professional soccer players to teach African children, a tailor-made SKILLZ curriculum, about HIV/AIDS prevention. Since it’s founding GRS has caught the attention of (and now partners with) Nike, the Gates Foundation, FIFA Futbol for Hope, (RED), Elton John Foundation, Daimler Chrysler and DeBeers, and ‘graduated’ over 340,000 youths. By the FIFA World Cup in Brazil in 2014, the organization’s goal is to graduate one million African youths from the program.

In August 2008, Ethan officially launched Grassroot Soccer UNITED an international, youth-led movement to raise money and build awareness for his foundation and mission to end HIV/AIDS in Africa, by embarking on a world-record-breaking 550-mile journey on foot, from Boston, MA, to Washington, D.C. – dribbling a soccer ball the entire route. Ethan is also the national spokesperson for America Scores, an organization that helps inner city kids participate in educational soccer programs. Other extensive charity work includes the Colon Cancer Alliance, Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Organization (IREO), Autism Speaks, Global Conservation Act, St. Jude Hospital, and Maccabi USA.

In May—less than 30 days after his diagnoses with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma was made public on the cover of People Magazine—Ethan was asked to serve as National Ambassador for “Stand Up 2 Cancer” and Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG Foundation. Most recently, Ethan spearheaded the national awareness and fundraising campaign called “Survivors Stands Up 2 Cancer”, an alliance between CBS, Survivor and SU2C.

In recognition for his charitable work, Ethan has been awarded the Nkosi Johnson Community Spirit Award by the International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care, the Heroes Among Us Award from the Boston Celtics and the Massachusetts State Health Department, and the Auxilia Chimusoro Award from the U.S. State Department in Zimbabwe. In addition, he was awarded The 2007 Peace Abby “Courage of Conscience,” the 2008 A Caring Hand’s “Philanthropic Achievement Award,” and was named one of People Magazine’s “Helpers of the Year” in 2005.

Originally from Lexington, MA, Ethan graduated from Vassar College in upstate New York, going on to play professional soccer for Highlanders FC (Zimbabwe), Cape Cod Crusaders (Massachusetts, USA) and Hawaii Tsunami (Hawaii, USA). Ethan also played for the 1997 and 2001 U.S. National Maccabiah squads.

Ethan resides in New York City.

“Earthtripping” host and “Survivor” winner Ethan Zohn talks about his latest challenge: battling cancer.