DENVER — Hockey Fights Cancer is a tradition that is more than 20 years old in the NHL. Since it was founded, the program has raised more than $20 million in donations for cancer programs.
On Saturday night, the Colorado Avalanche hosted Hockey Fights Cancer, around a week after longtime Avs analyst Peter McNab passed away. The evening is meant to show support for those who have cancer, celebrate those who are in remission, and remember those who have been lost.
One of the hockey fans in the spotlight on Saturday was Sarah Karr. The fans selected for the evening are UCHealth patients, as the event is a partnership between the hospital system, the Avs, and the NHL. The Parker woman learned she had stage 4 pancreatic cancer in February of this year.
“I play hockey and I'm tough. How can this ever happen?” Karr said, explaining how difficult it was to come to terms with her diagnosis. “The things you took for granted, you definitely appreciate now. And it gives you a whole different outlook completely.”
Karr said hockey was the best adrenaline rush, and she's missed not being able to play. Getting to skate on the ice at Ball Arena was an escape.
“Gives you motivation and kind of pumps you up for a while. Gets you going again," Karr said. "Just take the ride and have fun. We'll see how tomorrow goes.”
Karr's fiance, Melissa Whyman, was one of the people who came to the game with her. Karr describes Whyman as a huge part of her support system.
“That unknown feeling is just the worst. Every day it’s like, what's going to happen?” Whyman said. “This will be such a drain for Sarah today. Like, she'll sleep for the next three days, but she will be so positive for the next few weeks.”
One of the people selected to be part of Hockey Fights Cancer night was not in attendance. Nick Brown, a friend of Colby Hockersmith, said Hockersmith was in the hospital on Saturday because of an infection.
“It's been over three years that he was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer," Brown said about Hockersmith. "All of a sudden, two weeks ago, he came down with an infection. Got it out of nowhere... the infection turned into sepsis, which is a blood infection that can shut down all your organs, and all of his organs shut down except for his respiratory system last week.”
Brown said Hockersmith had a breathing tube removed, and began speaking on the day of Hockey Fights Cancer.
"He was hilarious cracking me up today, just pumped about it," Brown said. “I didn't know how I was going to do this if he was still not talking today. But I'm just stoked, you know, I'm just stoked to be here."
Brown said Hockersmith was able to virtually watch as he took the ice, wearing a jersey with Hockersmith's name on the back.
Hockey Fights Cancer partners with the American Cancer Society and the Canadian Cancer Society. The entire month of November is the fundraiser, and every team in the NHL has a Hockey Fights Cancer night.