Founded in 1998 by the National Hockey League and the NHL Players Association, Hockey Fights Cancer™ (HFC) unites the hockey community to support cancer patients and their families. The initiative receives help from players, coaches, officials, equipment managers, reception staff, business partners and fans. Together, the hockey family seeks to inspire hope and courage in those living with, going through and overcoming cancer. November is Hockey Cancer Month in the NHL, with each of the 32 clubs celebrating their own HFC night. On Thursday, November 17, the Sharks will host their official Hockey Fights Cancer night presented by Kaiser Permanente. Every fan in attendance at the game will receive a lavender rally towel which will be used for a celebratory moment later in the evening to honor those who have fought or overcome cancer.
During warm-ups, Sharks players will wear white and lavender HFC jerseys which will be auctioned by the Sharks Foundation from November 16-18, 5:00 p.m. PT, raising funds for Cancer CAREpoint. Additionally, some Sharks players will use lavender tape during warm-ups to show their support for the campaign. A selection of these sticks will be auctioned by the Sharks Foundation from November 25-27, 5:00 p.m. PT, with net proceeds benefiting Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area. Fans can preview items or place a bid in either auction by texting SHARKS to 76278 or visiting www.Sharks.GiveSmart.com.
The Sharks Foundation will also be selling custom lavender t-shirts at their booth in the lobby outside Section 118 while supplies last to raise money for Kids & Art Foundation. A number of tees are also available for purchase online here. Additionally, their 50/50 raffle presented by Cache Creek Casino Resort will benefit the American Cancer Society (ACH) ResearchERS program. This initiative shines a light on the incredible discoveries made by women and enables women leaders to support the CHA national research program which funds some of the brightest women in cancer research. The raffle will offer a special prize: 98 tickets for $40 in honor of the launch of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative in 1998.
The evening will feature a video recap of a Nov. 9 event in which the Sharks Foundation and Kaiser Permanente provided a $20,000 community assistance grant to the nonprofit Teen Kitchen Project Aptos. Funding from the grant will provide more than 1,500 meals before or on Thanksgiving Day for 110 seniors living with cancer living in Santa Cruz County. At the event, Team Teal members packed meals, baked cookies and hand-wrote 150 senior care cards.
Ahead of the game, five youngsters being treated at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara for various forms of childhood cancer will be recognized when they join the Sharks’ starting lineup on the blue line:
Additionally, nine-year-old Layla Malone, daughter of Sharks manager, Business Intelligence Tim Malone, will drop the ceremonial puck in honor of her battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). On September 1, 2020, Layla was diagnosed with ALL at the age of seven. With the support of many, and in collaboration with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada, Layla has raised over $6,000 for lifesaving pediatric cancer research and family support services. Layla received her last doses of chemo from Kaiser Permanente on November 9 and is officially ringing the bell on November 21! Layla will be joined by Tim, her mother Joy, her brother Mason and her little sister Camryn to let go of the puck. Be there early so you can watch the recap video of Layla attending a Sharks practice with her family and hear Tim’s story of how the Malone family came together to support Layla on her incredible journey.
The Sharks Community Relations team will welcome nine-year-old Alexander, who was diagnosed with stage 3 B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma on May 28, 2021. This type of cancer affects 40 children a year in the United States and Alexander’s treatment at Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara is estimated to take 2.5 years with an expected end date of October 2023. While continuing treatment and receiving services from JW House, he was medically cleared to return to school in person as a fourth year student, a milestone as he hasn’t been in class since first year due to Covid and cancer. Alexander has just started soccer and is looking forward to playing baseball, basketball, football, taekwondo and tennis. He is a true sports enthusiast and dreams of becoming a professional athlete! Despite the intense and frequent treatment involved in his battle, he remains strong, brave, funny, and resilient. During the HFC night, Alexander will participate in the NHLOA Zebras Care program where he will meet with the referees before the game and can also ride the Zamboni during the 2nd Intermission.
Throughout the game you will see lavender in the arena which is the official color of the HFC initiative. The Sharks’ corporate partners have all agreed to have their logos become the signature color on the ice rink scoreboards for the game. Coaches and broadcasters will wear personalized ribbons and members of the Sharks front office will wear HFC pins. The Coca-Cola Tank Patrol and Ice Crew will add touches of lavender to their typical game day uniforms. SJ Sharkie will be in HFC gear and has been busy collecting Cancer Warriors names to be featured on a giant “I Fight For” card during play! Aramark’s specials include Lavender Popcorn and “Save of the Game” which offers 20% off old HFC apparel (excluding jerseys and headwear). The Sharks Pro Shop and merchandise kiosks in the arena will sell Hockey Fights Cancer pins. After the game, pediatric cancer patients and their guest will be treated to a meeting with the players to end the evening on an inspiring note.
To join us for the November 17 Hockey Fights Cancer game presented by Kaiser Permanente, purchase tickets by clicking here!
