On September 29, at the Bonaventure hockey complex, four teams played from 9 a.m. until midnight to raise money for the McGill Cancer Nutrition Rehabilitation Program (CNRP) at the Sir Mortimer B. Davis – Jewish General Hospital. In addition to the player contribution, additional funds were raised through corporate sponsorships and a silent auction also took place at the hockey complex.

Each 12 player teams played at least four games; about a half a day of hockey for everyone. “It was wonderful to see those men play for up to five hours for such a noble cause. It must have been very tiring for them, but it was much appreciated. The dedication from these players is tremendous,” said Larry Sidel, Managing Director of the Jewish General Hospital Foundation

Mr. Sidel also mentioned that the event will return next year and they hope to raise at least $75,000.

The CNRP, under the direction of Dr. Neil MacDonald, is a key component of the Jewish General Hospital’s Segal Cancer Centre program. The CNRP provides patients experiencing cancer-related nutrition problems with a coordinated approach that combines nutritional assessment and counselling and exercise programs with therapies that directly attack the tumour and provide pain and symptom management.

If left untreated, nutritional problems associated with cancer can lead to progressive wasting, weakness, debilitation, compromised immune function, potential therapy intolerance, and even death. Certain forms of cancer common to Quebec, most notably advanced lung and gastrointestinal cancer, are associated with weight loss that usually begins at the onset of disease and progresses throughout the course of illness, making this centre all the more important to Quebecers.

“The Lila Sigal Marathon Hockey Tournament is a lifeline, which is urgently needed to sustain our work and to enable us to extend our program beyond lung and gastrointestinal cancers to patients and families facing other forms of cancer,” said Dr. MacDonald.

(Photo: Courtesy)