Mariners donation appreciated by cancer centre
Pink in the Rink annual campaign another success
Cancer patients in the tri-counties will benefit from a donation made to the Dr. Edwin Janke Cancer Centre by the Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners hockey team.
The hockey team has made a donation of $7,626 from its annual Pink in the Rink cancer awareness and fundraising initia- tive, whereby the public bids on custom pink jerseys the players wear at home games during the campaign.
This year, donations were also collected on a special pink jersey in honour of Yarmouth resident Sandy Dennis who has been battling cancer but continues to do work to support her community.
The funds raised through last year’s Pink in the Rink campaign were directed towards the purchase of a tabletop ultrasound vein finder for the cancer centre.
“All funds this year will go towards the area of greatest need – patient care needs – as defined by the Dr. Edwin Janke Cancer Centre, Yarmouth Regional Hospital which serves Digby, Shelburne and Yarmouth,” says Mary Surette, Yarmouth Hospital Foundation development officer.
Surette says the support through this campaign is “incredible.”
“This community is overwhelming and the support is amazing,” she says. “This will make over $27,000 that the Pink of Rink has brought to us, so we can’t thank enough the Yarmouth Jr. A Mariners management and their hockey team enough for such an outstanding support of the cancer centre, and of course the fans and donors.”
At any Mariners hockey game there are countless people in the stands, and even those on the ice, who have been touched directly or indirectly by cancer.
“Unfortunately cancer affects everyone. It affects someone that we know, it affects family members, including myself,” Surette says. “The cancer centre does such wonderful work and these funds stay at home and they’re for the care of our communities.”
Mitch Bonnar, owner of the Mariners hockey club, says they are grateful to be in a position to support the cancer centre.
“I think it’s a wonderful thing to do. Cancer runs rampant and the support is needed. There are so many people that deserve the credit. The team worked really hard and the fans jumped up to the plate donating all of that money. It’s wonderful.”