Rachel Danchek, a stage 3B ovarian cancer survivor, got to witness the powerful community of sports when it comes to the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative after the Pittsburgh Penguins reached out with tickets for her and her grandmother Marian Ebner for the Nov. 30 matchup with Calgary.
Rachel has been through so much in the past year during her fight with ovarian cancer. While there were many dark days on her road to recovery, Rachel has made it to a place in her life where she can now be an advocate for those dealing with similar situations.
“I think people look at me as a healthy 30-year-old that can’t have that happen to them,” Rachel said. “I only found out that I had ovarian cancer because I dealt with infertility. I just want to stress that if you think anything is wrong with your body, please go see your doctor, because you never know.”
In September of this year, Rachel was able to ring the bell, making her a stage 3B ovarian cancer survivor. However, more troubling times continued to arise in her life as her mother was also diagnosed with cancer, and her 92-year-old grandfather passed away earlier this month. Looking for a way to lift the family’s spirits, Rachel took to TikTok with a video of her grandmother, showing Marian’s love and passion for the Penguins.
“I think it was just really cool to see people who were fans of other teams comment on the video,” said Rachel on the support that she got from her viral video of her grandmother. “It just kind of brought everyone together, it was just a really cool thing.”
Having to move from Raleigh, North Carolina to Pittsburgh for her treatment, being back in the city for the final night of the month-long Hockey Fights Cancer movement was something that meant the world to her.
“The timing of it was perfect. It feels surreal that we’re all able to be here in the same city here tonight, it’s crazy. I feel like this was kind of my purpose: ovarian cancer advocacy,” Rachel said. “I definitely want to tell people to look out for signs of infertility, bloating, early satiety, abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, and heightened fatigue.”
After sharing her cancer journey on TikTok, Rachel formed a tight-knit community with her audience. Through the video of her grandmother in her Sidney Crosby jersey, she saw an overwhelming amount of positivity and support from the hockey community in particular. As a result, Rachel got something set up with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“We finally can do something fun with all of our family. Everyone is here, and everyone is home for Thanksgiving,” Rachel said.
This night meant way more to them than just going to a hockey game. It was about celebrating Rachel’s perseverance and Marian’s love for the Penguins. Marian has watched Pittsburgh sports her entire life, and they hold a special place in her heart.
“I grew up with four brothers, and they all were sports nuts,” said Marian. “I grew up with it, I sit and watch them all the time.”
It’s safe to say that Marian takes her Pittsburgh sports teams extremely seriously, keeping up to date with all the news and games.
“She gets the paper every week and finds the games in it and puts it on her calendar on the fridge,” Rachel said, adding with a laugh, “We care way too much about our Pittsburgh sports.”
One wish Marian has always had was to meet her favorite player, Sidney Crosby. As they watched the Penguin players take the ice for warmups from Suite 66, Marian was thrilled for the opportunity to get an impromptu photo with the captain.
Overcome with joy, the smile on Marian’s said it all, as it would be a memory that would last a lifetime.
“It’s great what the Penguins do for the city, especially Sid. I mean, he does everything, and we just love him here,” said Marian.
For a family that is so closely bonded through Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, honoring Rachel’s cancer story and fulfilling her grandmother’s wish is something that they are forever grateful for.
“We’re just so thankful for everyone that made this possible. Everyone who reached out, all the players, and the entire organization gave us a memory that we won’t ever forget,” Rachel said.
