In December of 1988, the NHL and the NHLPA decided to found Hockey Fights Cancer™ to raise awareness towards hockey’s most important fight, and to honour victims of cancer as well as show them that they have support from the hockey community. Through this initiative, the U.S. and Canadian charities have raised $15 million dollars in awareness of cancer, and hope to continue doing so this year.
During Hockey Fights Cancer™ night, teams have a ceremonial puck drop honouring a victim of cancer, and players skate on the ice with signs that read “I fight for” and the name of a family member, friend, or other victim of cancer they know. In addition, fans may also hold up signs. Players wear purple practice jerseys, which are auctioned off at the end of the game, and this year, Braden Holtby, the Washington Capitals goaltender, will take it a step further. He will wear a purple goalie mask and auction it off at the end of the Capitals’ Hockey Fights Cancer™ game on 28 October 2015. Not only that, players also tape their sticks in purple tape, and have a Hockey Fights Cancer™ sticker on the back of their helmets.
Recently, Hockey Fights Cancer™ has touched players on a very personal level. Both of Sidney Crosby’s grandmothers lost their battle with cancer, and Dion Phaneuf lost both his grandparents on his father’s side to cancer. Nick Bjugstad’s best friend’s dad, whom he was very close to, was diagnosed with cancer a year ago, and he passed away last month. Brian Boyle’s father beat cancer, and Wayne Simmonds’s grandmother lost the battle. Eric Gudbranson’s younger brother had cancer when he was five, and he is now sixteen years old and cancer-free. The St. Louis Blues created a wall in their locker room, where they pinned up pictures of people in their lives fighting against cancer. Many fans personally know someone whom cancer has touched their lives, and appreciate the effort hockey has made to fight cancer.
Hockey Fights Cancer™ is an amazing initiative which has touched so many people who have gone through the experience of having a close one affected by this terrible disease. I commend the NHL and NHLPA as well as the players for all they have done to support this wonderful cause.
If you want to find out more about Hockey Fights Cancer™, go to their website: http://www.nhl.com/ice/eventhome.htm?location=/hockeyfightscancer
