CHICAGO – Nick Foligno remembers all the charity work his late mother Janis would do, including Meals on Wheels, during which the Chicago Blackhawks forward would help her with deliveries.
Nick and his family make sure the memory of his mother, who passed away after a battle with breast cancer in July 2009, lives on with the Janis Foligno Foundation and on Sunday, they received a donation for the organization.
The NHL and NHL Players Association presented Foligno with a check for $25,000 to the Janis Foligno Foundation, part of the 25th anniversary giving campaign for Hockey Fights Cancer, prior to the Blackhawks’ 4-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild at United Center on Sunday.
“It’s the appreciation for the grant and what the money that will go toward,” Foligno said. “We’re just really proud that our foundation is able to make headway and is looked at in that light by them. There are so many deserving people in the League that I’m sure have foundations. For them to think of us, it really makes us humble.”
A video montage played during the game featuring Nick and his brother, Wild forward Marcus Foligno, who is out for the season after having core muscle surgery on Tuesday and was not in attendance Sunday. The two talked about their mother and the foundation they set up shortly after her passing, which is devoted to fundraising for the fight against cancer, with efforts to invest the money raised into research projects, treatment care, support efforts and innovative studies.
The foundation works closely with local organizations to ensure the funding is used to help get closer to finding a cure.
“I think of her every day,” Foligno said. “In these moments especially, or any time we get to do something with the foundation, it brings back such great memories. We get to talk about her. I could talk about her all day. It’s really nice.
“Our kids see her and see her presence and what she’s meant to so many. We love having that conversation, too, and random people will come up to us and say they remember our mom, even the charitable work she used to do when she was alive. It’s nice. In this fashion, we keep her spirit alive in that way.”
Foligno is appreciative of what Hockey Fights Cancer has done through the years.
“At the end of the day, we’re all human and we all have our fights outside of the game, right? The game brings us together but there are so many other initiatives that everyone has near and dear to their heart,” he said.
“I think it’s beautiful that they highlight that and understand as much as we’re part of the game, there’s a lot more to the game than just us playing hockey. That’s such a beautiful thing that the NHL and NHLPA has coveted, and it makes us feel really appreciative to have a League like that.”
