Meet Avery, our first HFC ambassador

In the fall of 2022, coming off a great summer spent with family and friends, ten-year-old Avery was eager to start Grade 5. Just a month later, she began to feel unwell and had recurring symptoms that her parents were concerned about - bruising on her body, little appetite and she experienced periods of extremely low energy. After visiting her doctor, it was recommended that she go to the hospital.

“When we were at the hospital, I just had a feeling that something was very wrong,” said Avery’s dad Neil. Avery underwent blood tests and that very night was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). The news was overwhelming for the entire family. She was admitted to the hospital immediately, undergoing blood and platelet transfusions that evening. The next day she began the first of many rounds chemotherapy. “It all happened so fast. All of a sudden, we were a family with cancer,” said her mom Melissa.

Over the next several months, Avery had many setbacks with long stays in the hospital, allergic reactions to medications and other illnesses that developed as a result of her chemotherapy and weakened immune system. Her treatment was really hard but she tried to maintain a mindset of healing and fighting. She also had the strength of her parents and older brother to help her get through the toughest of days. From the very beginning of Avery’s cancer diagnosis her family adopted a positive approach. They knew that ALL was often a treatable and beatable form of cancer and they were focused on supporting Avery physically and emotionally as she fought for her life.

In July, Avery completed the first phase of her treatment plan. She slowly began to start feeling better and gain more energy. Her journey isn’t over. For the next two years she will continue with maintenance chemotherapy to ensure that the cancer doesn’t return.

Avery and her family are grateful for the excellent care she received from everyone at CancerCare Manitoba and their community of family and friends. “That was one of the most overwhelming parts of the entire experience. We weren’t expecting so much support. There were even people we didn’t know who were reaching out and offering to help.”

Avery began Grade 6 this fall and is slowly getting back to doing the things she loves like gymnastics, aerial silks, and spending time with her friends.

The Winnipeg Jets join the fight for kids like Avery this November through their annual Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) Campaign. Over the last decade, Jets fans have generously raised over a million dollars in support of Cancer Care Manitoba Foundation (CCMF) and their efforts to fund life-saving care close to home for Manitoba kids. Fans can support the cause at all November home games leading up to the Hockey Fights Cancer Game on Thursday, Nov. 28 when Avery will join four other CCMF ambassadors for a special puck drop. Tickets are available at WinnipegJets.com/TICKETS and more info on the HFC campaign is available at WinnipegJets.com/HFC.