ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues are preparing to recognize the 25th Anniversary of the National Hockey League’s fight against cancer when they host the Detroit Red Wings for Hockey Fights Cancer Night on Tuesday, Dec. 12. In conjunction with the celebration and the team’s continued efforts to raise awareness and funds in the search for a cure, the Blues are launching a new collaboration with the V Foundation for Cancer Research to fund a $200,000 cancer research grant for Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.
Blues fans can join the fundraising efforts via several donation-driven initiatives:
- Today, fans can visit stlouisblues.com/5050 to purchase a ticket for the Blues’ 50/50 Raffle presented by DraftKings with a guaranteed pot of $39,000, in honor of beloved Blues alumnus Kelly Chase who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
- At Enterprise Center on December 12, fans can purchase Hockey Fights Cancer autographed mystery pucks for $40 outside of Portal 15, while limited edition Hockey Fights Cancer T-shirts, featuring ‘I Fight For’ on the front and ‘Chase 39’ on the back, will be available at the STL Authentics Team Store.
- Before the game on December 12, fans can also text “blues” to 76278 to participate in the Hockey Fights Cancer Night auction, including autographed memorabilia and lavender-taped sticks used by Blues players during warmups. The auction will open at 10:00am on Tuesday, December 12 and close on Thursday, December 14 at 9:00pm.
“The V Foundation has demonstrated an unparalleled ability to harness the power of sports to make an immeasurable impact on cancer research funding over the last 30 years,” said Chris Zimmerman, Blues President and CEO of Business Operations. “The Blues are proud to join the NHL and NHLPA in partnering with the V Foundation on this year’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative and directly support life-changing cancer research being done by our long-term partners at Siteman Cancer Center.”
Through this first-of-its-kind collaboration with the V Foundation, the Blues are committing to raising $200,000 for a V Foundation grant throughout the remainder of the 2023-24 NHL season. All proceeds from the grant will fund a cancer research project at Siteman Cancer Center. Hockey Fights Cancer, a joint initiative of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) powered by the V Foundation, is committed to accelerating research conducted by the best scientists in the world who are working to achieve Victory Over Cancer®. The Blues and the V Foundation will kick off this fundraising initiative with their Hockey Fights Cancer game.
“The St. Louis Blues have made a game-changing commitment – funding premier cancer research at Siteman Cancer Center through the V Foundation,” V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson said. “We’re thrilled to partner with the Blues for Hockey Fights Cancer and to continue to strengthen our relationship with one of the top comprehensive cancer centers in the country. The outcomes of this unique partnership will positively impact cancer patients locally in St. Louis and beyond, and it shows the impact we can make together across the league.”
The Blues are also leveraging the December 12 game to activate the St. Louis business community to support the initiative with the introduction of the Hockey Fights Cancer First Stars of the Game Program. Local companies that would like to honor an employee who has been affected by cancer to a once-in-a-lifetime Blues game experience at Hockey Fights Cancer Night on December 12 should visit stlouisblues.com/HFC. Each $3,000 donation will provide that company with the opportunity to present two Sky Level Suite tickets to an employee who has battled cancer or had someone in their immediate family battle cancer. Each Hockey Fights Cancer Star of the Game will receive a locker-room issued Hockey Fights Cancer jersey from a randomly selected player, have the chance to meet their player immediately after the game, and get their jersey autographed on the ice. Companies may purchase one of 20 available ticket packages, each featuring two tickets inclusive of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the suite, and donate to a patient to be selected by Siteman Cancer Center.
Hockey Fight Cancer Night on December 12 will also feature a variety of in-game elements to recognize and raise awareness for the cause among all fans in attendance:
- A special pregame introduction video from Blues President and CEO of Business Operations, Chris Zimmerman.
- The annual call for Blues fans to turn on their cell phone lights to ‘Spread Ari’s Light’ during the National Anthem, to keep alive the memory of inspirational Blues fan Ari Dougan.
- A video from St. Louis native Jon Hamm to lead the call for fans who have battled or are battling cancer to stand and be recognized during the second TV timeout of the first period. Fans can fill out an “I Fight For…” cards at one of the tables placed around the main concourse prior to the game.
- The Blues will also stage celebratory bellringings – signifying a member of the community has become cancer free – during the first period and both intermissions, while patients from Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children’s Hospital will represent several experiences during the game, including singing the National Anthem, announcing the starting lineups, playing the organ, and serving as the Blues intermission reporter.
In conjunction with the 25th Anniversary of the Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, the NHL and NHLPA announced their own partnership with the V Foundation on November 1 of this year to dramatically increase the initiative’s fundraising pace moving forward. During its first 25 years, the annual campaign raised over $32 million and touched the lives of millions, offering support, raising awareness, and standing with those affected by cancer. While the Blues’ Hockey Fights Cancer Night on December 12 is the final such night hosted by an NHL team this season, the NHL kicked off its first season-long extension of the campaign with a League-wide moment on Nov. 30 when the Blues hosted Buffalo.
While the Blues are undertaking their season-long fundraising campaign with the V Foundation, the NHL will continue activating around Hockey Fights Cancer at select tentpole events, sharing 25 years of inspirational storytelling on NHL platforms on the 25th day of each month, and holding a 25th giving campaign that will see 10 cancer organizations receive a $25,000 gift to bolster their impact. Additionally, through the NHL Hat Trick Challenge, donations of $5,000 will be made to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund of the V Foundation for Cancer Research for every hat trick scored throughout the 2023-24 NHL season, with a total donation goal of up to $500,000. To date this year, Blues have helped raise $10,000 for the initiative via hat tricks by Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich on Nov. 12 against Colorado.
About the V Foundation for Cancer Research:
The V Foundation for Cancer Research was founded in 1993 by ESPN and the late Jim Valvano, legendary North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator. The V Foundation has funded over $353 million in game-changing cancer research grants nationwide through a competitive process strictly supervised by a world-class Scientific Advisory Committee. Because the V Foundation has an endowment to cover administrative expenses, 100% of direct donations are awarded to cancer research and programs. The V team is committed to accelerating Victory Over Cancer®. To learn more, visit v.org.
