In an effort to reach out to a worldwide community, George Brew of Whats Brewin, Chris Wassel of The Program and Anthony Curatolo of The Hockey Guys have all come together to present an event to raise funds in order to further develop research within the society of Cancer Awareness. Backed by LiveStrong: The Lance Armstrong Foundation and the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society, all proceeds will be directed to both organizations.

The NHL Foundation has jumped on board as well in donating items such as NHL Autographed merchandise:  Vinny Lecavalier and Eric Staal signed jerseys, pucks, hats and more.

Cancer is a disease that ruins families as well as lives on a daily basis, worldwide. The fight against cancer needs all the support it can possibly get in further research to develop cures that will surpass the current level of “fight” against the disease.

As a survivor myself, when I was approached with the opportunity to take part in this event it was not only touching but something I felt I needed to jump on board with.  I have very scary memories of seeing little children go through such a painful experience that it has stayed with me for years. Everyone who has been affected by the word “cancer” at any capacity can understand that we all need to take a stand, in any way, and this is our way of saying “we are here to help”.

Michelle Kenneth who is a well known and respected person within the Hockey community has stepped above and beyond as well with this post on her personal blog site: Where to Begin. She is willing to match donations up to $500.00, something she took the liberty to do out of the kindness of her heart.  We understand how important this battle is, and are trying to spread the word to gain support as much as possible.  Thanks to Hockey Independent in allowing us to take it one step further here today.

Being that two very large foundations have backed the event, goals have been set but the only way to reach those goals is with the support of you.

Remember, every $1.00 helps.  We understand that in today’s rough economy it is difficult to donate however, a simple dollar donation goes a long way.

We hope you can help us reach our goals.

For more information on the entire event, you can simply click this link: Whats Brewin Stock

To donate directly to the Lance Armstrong Foundation: Live Strong donation page

To donate directly to the Lymphoma Society: Lymphoma donation page

Thank you all for taking the time to read this and hopefully we will be able to thank you further for supporting this great cause.

Good luck to all of you and your teams heading down the stretch run fighting for a playoff spot!  This is one of the best times of the hockey year.

p.s. – A very big thank you to the Gallof brothers for allowing me to set up this blog.

Vancouver Organizing Committee CEO John Furlong, who knows the identity of “the one“, definitively stated that Wayne Gretzky will not be the final torchbearer who lights the cauldron.

So if not Gretzky, then who?  Will it be a famous hockey player with Vancouver or B.C. roots?  Burnaby Joe Sakic, captain of the last Canadian Olympic hockey team?

Many think that the cauldron-lighter must be a Canadian winter athlete who once achieved Olympic greatness and brought pride to the country in keeping with past “last torchbearer” tradition.  Perhaps speed skaters Gaetan Boucher, Catriona LeMay-Doan or alpine skier Nancy Greene then?

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This writer firmly believes that tonight, hockey and all previous distinguished Canadian Winter Olympic athletes should be superceded in the lighting of the Olympic flame by the legacy of a Canadian who dared to meet the challenge of a self-created impossible athletic feat and by his courage, inspired millions in Canada and around the world.

Terry Fox.

While he never laced up skates or won Olympic medals, his partially-completed 1980 “Marathon of Hope” was an absolutely astonishing physical feat and had the added humanitarian benefit of motivating Canadians from coast to coast to donate to cancer research.

The B.C.-raised Fox was afflicted with a bone sarcoma of the right leg as a teenager.  At eighteen, he had to undergo an amputation of that leg, just above the knee, in the hope that the cancer would be prevented from spreading.  Fox decided he wanted to help others who were experiencing the same pain, anxiety and suffering.  He determined that he would help raise funds for cancer research and to heighten awareness for his cause, he would run across Canada, all the way from the east coast to the west coast.

On one good leg and one artifical leg.  Snow, rain or shine.  Twenty-six miles per day.  A marathon per day.  A Marathon of Hope.

His run began in obscurity in Newfoundland, but nearly five months and 3,339 miles later, an entire nation was paying attention, donating and inspired.  Tragically, he was forced to stop in Thunder Bay, Ontario, roughly half-way toward his goal, as cancer had spread to both lungs.  He died less than one year later, at 22.

However, his vision lives on.  At the time of his death, over $24-million had been donated to his cause.  Today, over $400-million has been raised in his name.  I can remember every fall in high school, participating in the annual “Terry Fox Run”, held in many schools across Canada, and the world, to continue raising funds for the Terry Fox Foundation.

While Terry Fox is no longer with us, his mother, Mrs. Betty Fox is, and is the honourary chairperson of her son’s foundation.  There would be no greater tribute to a great Canadian, on a night when the eyes of the entire world will be watching than to give Mrs. Fox the dual honour of being the final torchbearer and the one who ignites the Olympic flame.  Torchbearers take great care to ensure the Olympic flame is not extinguished on its journey to the cauldron.  By handing Mrs. Fox the final torch, Canadians and the world will see that great care has been taken to not extinguish the Olympic ideals of courage, perseverance, inspiration and teamwork, all exemplified by her son, Terry Fox.

On Thursday, another B.C.-bred athlete, Steve Nash, star of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, told reporters that he was thinking about Fox during his brief run with the torch and called Fox’s Marathon of Hope, “inspiring”.

Can we hope that the legacy of the Marathon of Hope will be the one tonight?

Further reading and sources: Terry Fox Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society

Photo: Flickr Creative Commons