Survive & Thrive: COVID-19 LIVE Celebrity Challenge

Three-time football champion Rob Gronkowski, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model Camille Kostek, and several more celebrities have teamed up with CBDMEDIC™ to host a live, online fundraising challenge to benefit the Arthritis Foundation's severely at-risk, elderly and immunocompromised populations who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. To help raise critical crisis funds, celebrities will be participating in “Survive & Thrive: COVID-19 Celebrity Challenge,” which will be livestreamed on the Facebook channel of the Arthritis Foundation on Wednesday, April 22, 2020, at 8 p.m. ET. American Ninja Warrior television host and M.D., Matt Iseman, will moderate the event.

Additional participants include Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, Ice Shaker founder Chris Gronkowski, fitness trainer to the stars Harley Pasternak, James Beard Award-winning Chef Ming Tsai and Walgreens President Richard Ashworth.

“This is about helping our parents, grandparents, next-door neighbors and people of all ages with compromised immune systems who are struggling more than ever with the dangers of COVID-19 and its crippling isolation. We can make a real difference by reaching out to them now. That is our challenge,” said Rob Gronkowski. “We want to help them not only survive, but thrive during this period, and that's something that each and every one of us can do if we act now.”

During the event, Gronkowski and the multi-disciplinary participants will face off on various physical and personal challenges that provide an authentic peek into the lives of celebrities as they adjust to a life in isolation. Free to watch, the event will include both entertaining and educational culinary, athletic and business challenges, along with challenges for the viewers, with a chance to win special prizes for those who donate to the Arthritis Foundation. Additional event information can be found at: https://www.arthritis.org/thrive.

“We’re experiencing an unprecedented demand and need for our services and support, including our Helpline staffed by licensed social workers, online resources, podcasts, virtual support groups and forums as well as our advocacy efforts that fight for people who need access to health care and the treatments they need,” said Ann M. Palmer, president and CEO of the Arthritis Foundation. “Our challenge is to make sure we can answer that urgent call and the increased cry for our support. We’re especially thankful for the generosity of CBDMEDIC and those who donate during this critical time.”

CBDMEDIC and Gronkowski have been first responders to the cause and have pledged $200,000 to ignite this campaign.

“Our guiding principle at Abacus is to help people who are living with pain,” said Perry Antelman, CEO of Abacus Health Products, maker of CBDMEDIC products. “We realize that the elderly and people with arthritis need our help now more than ever to help them pull through COVID-19. That's why we've come to support the Arthritis Foundation's critical call-to-action for their massive community at this devastating time.  

Gronkowski announced his partnership with Abacus Health Products last year, citing his personal experience with CBDMEDIC products that “changed his life” during his post-football recovery. CBDMEDIC is the first family of all-natural topical medications that combine over-the-counter (OTC) drug active ingredients with CBD-rich hemp oil and other natural moisturizers. The products include formulations for muscle and joint pain, back and neck pain, and arthritis-related pain and stiffness. CBDMEDIC is available for purchase online at CBD-MEDIC.com and at over 12,000 retail locations nationwide.  

Launched in 2019, CBDMEDIC offers a line of topical pain medications that combine naturally-derived pain-relieving active OTC drug ingredients with 100% natural emollients (skin softening ingredients), essential oils, and broad-spectrum THC-free, CBD-rich hemp oil to create unique formulations that work with the body for powerful, targeted, and effective pain relief.

Abacus is engaged in the development and commercialization of over-the-counter (OTC) topical medications with active pharmaceutical ingredients and which contain organic and natural ingredients, including a cannabinoid-rich hemp extract containing CBD from the Cannabis sativa L plant. Abacus’ products are aimed at the rapidly growing markets for topical pain relief and therapeutic skincare and are based on proprietary patent-pending technologies developed by Abacus. Abacus’ formulations combine advanced science with organic and natural ingredients to provide safe relief. Abacus currently offers three lines of products: CBD CLINIC™, marketed to the professional practitioner market, and CBDMEDIC™ and Harmony Hemp™, marketed to the consumer market. Abacus’ products are offered across the United States and are produced by a contract manufacturer in an FDA registered and audited manufacturing facility.

The Arthritis Foundation is the Champion of Yes. Leading the fight for the arthritis community, the Foundation helps conquer everyday battles through life-changing information and resources, access to optimal care, advancements in science and community connections. The Arthritis Foundation’s goal is to chart a winning course, guiding families in developing personalized plans for living a full life – and making each day another stride toward a cure. The Foundation also publishes Arthritis Today, the award-winning magazine that reaches 4 million readers.