I had Bekki Nill on my podcast last year. She is the wife of the Assistant General Manager of the Detroit Red Wings. She is also a breast cancer survivor. She invited me to the Hockey Fights Cancer night at the Joe Louis Arena. Every hockey team has a HFC night. It is " a joint initiative founded in December 1998 by the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players' Association to raise money and awareness for hockey's most important fight." That is off of NHL.com. Needless to say I am happy that the NHL sees the need for more funding going towards cancer, and if you can catch a hockey game in the process, well then I am all for it.
It was my first professional sports game I had been to since diagnosis, and the first game I had seen in a suite since I moved from California to Michigan.
Watching the teams warm up made me want to get on the ice and skate. I hadn't played since March, and there is just something about the sport of hockey that speaks to me in a way that nothing else does.
Watching the game from the suite was an amazing experience. As I sat there watching the game, the players, I felt good. Better than I had in a long time. I think my friend Ashley (another cancer survivor) and I were the only ones into the game, and I get really into the game.
I honestly and truly appreciate Bekki Nill's invitation to Hockey Fights Cancer night at the Joe. Probably more than she realizes.
The Red Wings helped me fight cancer.
Hockey helped me fight cancer.
And it still helps me now through survivorship.
As I think of that night and look through the goodie bag full of stuff I will always be grateful to the Wings, and especially to Bekki, and her husband John for what they have given me, not the autographed Lidstrom puck or the pink hat with the Winged Wheel.
But for something more.
They keep me skating, and advocating.
Hockey really does fight cancer.
Check out my podcast The Cancer Warrior on Empoweradio.com. Available on demand and also available on Itunes.
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