Kayali, a 16-year-old in remission of osteosarcoma, was invited by the Montreal Canadiens
to announce their starting lineup
as part of their Hockey Fights Cancer Awareness Night before their game against the Buffalo Sabres at Bell Centre.
Kayali, 16, was one of 70 children from Leucan, a Montreal-based nonprofit organization that helps cancer-stricken children and their families, on hand for the game. She was diagnosed with the bone cancer of her right femur in October 2016 but has been in remission since September, and admitted she was nervous addressing her favorite team.
"I was very happy that they chose me," Kayali told NHL.com. "I wasn't uncomfortable, but I was really scared. I don't know why, because they're like famous and everybody knows them, so I was a bit scared. But it was like talking to normal people. It was nice."
Her favorite Canadiens player is Brendan Gallagher, and although she did not get to meet him, he applauded her performance addressing the team.
"She did a good job," Gallagher said after Montreal's 3-0 win. "It puts a lot of things into perspective for a lot of us. It's just exciting to see [her] with a smile."
The night was one to remember for Kayali.
"The chance I had to do it, and the fact that I got a chance to go in the dressing room and announce who was in the starting lineup," she said when asked what she'd remember the most. "It was very fun."
