Hockey Fights Cancer comes through for Children’s Hospital

On hand for the outdoor check presentation were, from left, Nashville Predators mascot GNASH, Meg Rush, MD, MMHC, Children’s Hospital President, Samuel Perry, Twice Daily Regional Director of Operations, Michelle Kennedy, Nashville Predators Chief Operating Officer, and Hospital mascot Champ. (photo by Susan Urmy)

by Christina Echegaray

The Nashville Predators hockey team’s longtime support of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt was on full display recently.

Amid Hockey Fights Cancer month, the Nashville Predators presented Children’s Hospital with the proceeds raised throughout the year from the team’s 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund presented by Twice Daily. In a masked presentation outside, the Nashville Predators Foundation, empowered by SmileDirectClub, recognized the $335,000.21 in donations and in-kind contributions raised.

Additionally, the team held its fall Hockey Fights Cancer game Nov. 13 to raise funds to support childhood cancer initiatives at Children’s Hospital.

Child ambassador Grace Hamilton, 13, rides the Zamboni at the Nashville Predators Hockey Fights Cancer game Nov. 13. (photo by Kylie Hall)

The 365 Fund, which was created during the 2012-13 season by recently retired goaltender Pekka Rinne and former captain Shea Weber, has now donated more than $3.6 million in cash and in-kind contributions to the life-changing pediatric cancer research that takes place at Children’s Hospital.

In 2019, the Predators organization also announced a commitment of $300,000 over three years to support Children’s Hospital’s Soaring Higher, Dreaming Bigger: A Campaign Against Childhood Cancer.

The campaign is helping expand and upgrade the existing pediatric cancer space as well as supporting research, training and programs.

“Year after year, we are blown away by the incredible support of the Nashville Predators and Hockey Fights Cancer,” said Debra Friedman, MD, who holds the E. Bronson Ingram Chair of Pediatric Oncology and is director of the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Children’s Hospital.

“The contributions raised through the team’s 365 Pediatric Cancer Fund help us support childhood cancer research, identify new ways of curing pediatric cancer, and deliver treatments in the best way possible for each individual child.”

On Hockey Fights Cancer nights child ambassadors are invited to the game not only to take part in a luxury suite experience but also to participate in special in-game activities like riding the Zamboni and much more. All money raised during the games benefist the 365 Fund. The next Hockey Fights Cancer night is schedule for April 9, 2022.