Canadiens host Hockey Fights Cancer Night

MONTREAL - The Montreal Canadiens will host their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Saturday, April 10, when the team faces the Winnipeg Jets at the Bell Centre.

To highlight the courage of those living with or moving past cancer, a total of 16,200
"I Fight For" cards
will be installed in the stands for the duration of the game. Fans were recently asked to show their support for the cause by submitting the name of a loved one who is currently battling or previously battled cancer. Each of the names submitted by the public will be printed and displayed on a seat to celebrate all those who are affected by cancer, and honour those who are no longer with us. Fans at home can also join the fight against cancer by downloading and personalizing their own
"I Fight For" card
and sharing it on social media using the hashtag #HockeyFightsCancer.
The Hockey Fights Cancer Night will also serve as an opportunity to honour the children of
Leucan
, an association that has dedicated itself over the past 40 years to supporting cancer-stricken children and their families. Thirty-six of its young members will take part in the pregame ceremonies virtually. Phillipe, a 16-year-old from Saint-Basile-le-Grand living with osteosarcoma, will kick off the game with a video message addressed to players and fans. Alexandre Sylvestre will then perform the national anthem accompanied by Brittany, a young woman of 18 from Ville-Marie in Abitibi-Temiscamingue, who achieved complete remission from neuroendocrine cancer; Clovis, a six-year-old hockey player from Saint-Cyrille-de-Lessard, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in June 2020; and Nathan, a 13-year-old boy from Thetford Mines, who is passionate about hockey, and more specifically referees, in partial remission from rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that forms in soft tissue. Six other youngsters, who would have normally stood alongside the players during the starting lineup and national anthem, will instead be highlighted on the Canadiens' digital platforms.

"Our Hockey Fights Cancer Night is a moment that the entire organization looks forward to each season, and we are always looking forward to inviting the young people of Leucan to a game at the Bell Centre so we can pay tribute to them and offer them a memorable and uplifting evening," explained Geneviève Paquette, vice-president of community engagement for the Montreal Canadiens. "Isolation is one of the many painful challenges that these children and their families experienced long before COVID-19 since they must limit visits and outings in order to reduce the risks for the child whose immune system is weakened. Despite the current situation, we wanted to make sure to organize something meaningful for the 30 or so children involved in the game presentation, who represent the thousands of other kids fighting the same battle across the province, and whose courage and resilience deserve to be celebrated."
During the pregame warmup, players will wear lavender jerseys featuring the names of young Leucan members. Their sticks will also feature lavender tape as well. These autographed items will be auctioned off until April 12 at
cancer.canadiens.com
, and the funds raised will be donated to Leucan, whose mission is to promote the recovery and well-being of cancer-stricken children and support their families by providing distinctive and tailored services and assistance through every stage of the disease and its side effects. Despite the pandemic, Leucan continues to support families by offering psychological support via telephone and by organizing virtual activities that allow them to break through isolation. Leucan also continues to provide financial assistance to families so that they can focus their energy towards caring and tending to their sick children, along with investing significant sums in clinical research in pediatric oncology to improve the treatments offered to patients with childhood cancer.
Fans wishing to show their support for the cause can also purchase items from the Hockey Fights Cancer collection via the
Tricolore Sports online store
. Part of the proceeds will also be donated to Leucan.