November 2023 Recap: Hockey Fights Cancer Campaign P/B Kaiser Permanente 

During the November Hockey Fights Cancer (HFC) campaign presented by Kaiser Permanente, the Sharks Foundation's fundraising efforts were focused on providing financial support to cancer-related organizations.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of the leaguewide initiative, every non-profit that applied for a 23-24 Community Assist Grant under the November HFC focal area received a $2,500 donation. With the generous support of Sharks Foundation benefactors John and Cindy Cook, $27,000 was split amongst 11 beneficiaries: Cancer CAREpoint, Cancer Support Community SF Bay Area, Kids & Art Foundation, Latinas Contra Cancer, Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, Okizu, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, The Teal Foundation, Starlight Children's Foundation, American Cancer Society, and There With Care of the Bay Area. For their winter service event, the Foundation’s Young Professionals Board volunteered with one of the beneficiaries, There With Care, whose mission is to provide a wide range of thoughtful and fundamental services to families and children during the critical phase of a medical crisis. Watch the recap video: https://www.nhl.com/sharks/video/topic/foundation/ypb-hfc-service-event-6341104072112.

On November 8, the Foundation and Kaiser Permanente presented a $20,000 grant to the who encourages every kid fighting cancer to Never Ever Give Up (NEGU). JRF was inspired by one courageous and compassionate 12-year-old little girl: Jessica Joy Rees, better known as Jessie, who bravely fought cancer from March 2011 to January 2012. She conceptualized JoyJars, plastic jars filled with toys, games, and cheerful gifts, and coined the organization’s motto, NEGU. JRF fulfills their mission by connecting with families, bringing awareness to their stories, offering them a network of helpful resources, and sending the entire family encouragement throughout their journey. In addition to the funding, representatives from Team Teal and Kaiser packed 500 JoyJars at Sharks Ice San Jose for JRF, which will be distributed to pediatric oncology patients enduring long hospital stays.

Later that afternoon, Sharks and Barracuda players Givanni Smith, Mario Ferraro, and Oskar Lindblom delivered some of the jars to Kaiser Permanente Santa Clara in-patients. Watch a recap video of the entire day: https://www.nhl.com/sharks/video/topic/foundation/hfc-joyjar-packing-event-6341253818112

On November 16, the Sharks hosted their official Hockey Fight's Cancer Night presented by Kaiser Permanente at the Tank where five courageous kids stood on the blueline with the starting lineup for a pre-game ceremony to acknowledge their heroic journeys with cancer.

The honorees, Quinn, Davey, JJ, Charlotte, and Juan, also got to watch warm-ups from ice level, cheered on the Sharks from a suite, and participated in a post-game meet-and-greet with the players!

Quinn, an 8-year-old Leukemia survivor, also dropped the ceremonial puck which kicked off the game that turned into a 5-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues. Prior to HFC Night, she was invited to a Sharks practice where her and her dad watched the action from the players’ bench, got a surprise visit from S.J. Sharkie, and even enjoyed a post-practice snack in the locker room with Sharks Captain Logan Couture.

The evening was a beautiful opportunity to honor cancer warriors and survivors, and remember those that have lost their battle.

In total, the Sharks Foundation donated $60,700 and impacted 6,100 lives this November.