Canadian hockey fundraiser started with C$10,000, raised over C$1m in a decade
A Canadian hockey tournament, 'Let's Body Check Cancer,' has raised over C$1 million for cancer research over the last decade. The initiative began as a small community effort following a family cancer diagnosis and grew through word-of-mouth support.
Why it matters
It illustrates the power of community-driven grassroots movements in funding medical research and supporting health causes.
A hockey tournament born from a family cancer diagnosis has grown into a decade-long fundraising effort, turning a group of friends, a few teams and a shared love of the game into a million-dollar community movement. For Canadian organiser Dianne Andernacht, what began as a deeply personal experience eventually became a way to bring hockey players together for something much bigger than competition, states a release by the Canadian Cancer Society.When cancer came close to homeAndernacht's connection to cancer became personal in 2008, when her three-year-old nephew, Aidan, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. Hockey was already woven into the family, with her brother and nephews playing the sport. Around the same time, Andernacht joined an adult beginner hockey league, states the release.The support her family received from the hockey community during Aidan's illness stayed with her.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in