Muskies host successful Fight Cancer Hockey Night

Written By Brian Lockhart

The Shelburne Senior Muskies hosted their fifth annual Fight Cancer Night during their home game against the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks at the Centre Dufferin Recreation Complex on Saturday, Jan. 7.

The event featured raffles and a booster club upstairs in the arena.

Muskies wore special jerseys for the night with the name of a loved one on the back who has had or is recovering from cancer.

The event was well attended with several hundred people in the stands for the game.

“Tonight is our fifth annual Fight Cancer Night,” explained Muskies president Kerry Young. “Our goal is to raise as much money as possible for the Headwaters Cancer Centre in Orangeville. 

“Over the first four years, we raised $15,000, so we're hoping to add a lot to that tonight. We originally did this because Susan Hogan, our treasurer at the time, was diagnosed with cancer and we wanted to do something to support her. We kept doing it because as we continued, there were multiple people within our Muskie family [who] were affected by cancer. The prizes tonight from the raffle table are all donated by the community and sponsors, and players and families. One hundred per cent of the proceeds goes to Headwaters Cancer Care Centre.”

Susan Hogan's son, Tyler, was a player with the Muskies and is now the head coach.

“Each player has a jersey that is dedicated to somebody they know that is living with or passed from cancer, or survived cancer,” Kerry explained.

Hospitals in Ontario rely on private donations to raise funds for equipment.

“If we need equipment to provide chemotherapy, if we need equipment to do cancer surgery, or an MRI or CT scan to diagnose cancer, that's all 100 per cent community donations,” explained Headwaters Health Care Foundation CEO, K.C. Carruthers. “It is individuals and groups in the community donating to the Foundation to purchase that equipment. Many people think that health care is publicly funded. They don't realize that the equipment is not funded. We have a cancer program at the hospital where we provide chemotherapy, cancer surgery, diagnostics, and follow-up clinics for patients with cancer. We have over 1,000 patients each year who have cancer, coming to Headwaters. If you're in this region and someone in your family has cancer, you want the best possible care.”

The Muskies Fight Cancer Night was a success as the community rallied behind the event as well as the Muskies during their game against the Winterhawks.