Over 1,400 hockey enthusiasts laced up for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation’s 10th annual Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer fueled by Longo’s event, raising $2.03 million for Princess Margaret Cancer Centre – one of the top five cancer research centres in the world. This brings the event’s fundraising total to a remarkable $25 million, providing clinicians and researchers with the resources to push the boundaries of knowledge and accelerate innovations in cancer care.
Hosted by hockey legends Glenn Healy and Nick Kypreos at the SmartVMC in Vaughan, the event saw 112 teams hit the rink alongside renowned names in the world of hockey, including Wendel Clark, Shayne Corson, Jeremy Roenick, and Jayna Hefford. Other celebrity ambassadors such as Paul Langlois from The Tragically Hip and Ian D’sa from Billy Talent took part to show their support for the cause.
The full-day tournament is The Foundation’s first fully-live, in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic was declared in March 2020.
"Today was a powerful reminder of why our events like Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer matter. They matter because, while each individual cancer story is an important one, the collective telling of these stories is a remarkably healing and bonding experience for our community,” says Dr. Miyo Yamashita, President & CEO of The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation. “The need to support the eradication of cancer is universal, whether you’re a clinician, a supporter, or a survivor. Accelerating cancer research is our best defense against the rising cancer burden, and the funds raised today will ensure that our researchers and clinicians at The Princess Margaret are at the forefront of cutting-edge research and care.”
Robert Gole – a resident of Newmarket, Ontario – helped kick off the tournament by sharing a heartfelt account of his family’s connection to cancer. “Our lives changed forever in October 2019 just weeks before our 22nd wedding anniversary, when my wife Janice was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. Why us? Why Janice? We may have heard about cancer, but now we are living it,” says Gole. “And we are not alone. Soon cancer will affect one in two people. Look to the left and the right of you. Cancer research needs our help. This is what we’re playing for today.”
For more information or to donate to the event, visit roadhockeytoconquercancer.ca.
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