Players give sick kids smiles
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inside an isolation room in the oncology/ hematology unit at the Montreal Children’s Hospital, 11-year-old Claudia Martino beamed and bounced with excitement as she waved at her three afternoon visitors on the other side of the window pane.
“You look pretty happy to see us,” Canadiens defenceman Josh Gorges said, talking to her on a phone.
Canadiens captain Brian Gionta and forward Erik Cole also took turns on the phone.
“You got a Zamboni ride? That’s awesome,” Gionta said, referring to a hockey game Claudia attended.
“We’re going to give you a hat and stick. Is that OK?” said Cole, who j oked she could use the stick “to fight off all the boys.”
Their brief chat with Claudia, who is awaiting a bone-marrow transplant, was the first of many stops for a handful of Canadiens players who visited children at the hospital on Friday. It’s an annual holiday season ritual for Canadiens players, only this year they organized a visit on their own because of the National Hockey League lockout.
The ongoing labour dispute wasn’t something the players wanted to talk about with the media before they set off on their goodwill rounds.
Gionta pushed a shopping cart with hats, mini-sticks and photos that players signed for kids.
The players have been skating together and agreed that if the dispute dragged on they still wanted to do the hospital visit, Gionta said.
Mathieu Darche, an unsigned former Canadien, contacted the Children’s “and obviously, we were all on board,” Gionta said.
“A lot of the kids, especially around here, are huge hockey fans,” the Canadiens captain added.
“You want to come in and maybe brighten their day and take their mind off of some things that are going on in their life. ...
“For us, that’s why we’re here — to make them smile and to hopefully give them a little relief from what they’re going through.”
More hospital visits will follow on Monday when the Canadiens organization stages its annual event for the 48th consecutive year. Instead of players, members of the Canadiens management, coaching staff, alumni and RDS personalities will visit patients at the Children’s and Ste. Justine hospitals along with furry orange mascot Youppi!
The players at the Children’s didn’t visit Sainte-Justine hospital on Friday but Gionta said: “We plan on making another visit.”
They also cooked dinner for families last week at Ronald McDonald House, near Sainte-Justine hospital, he said, of an initiative started by Canadiens forward Colby Armstrong and his wife.
Canadiens defenceman Francis Bouillon was also at the Children’s along with former Habs forward Steve Bégin.
The visit puts things in perspective, Gorges said.
“Obviously, we’re not happy the situation we’re in,” the defenceman said.
“We’d love to be playing hockey ... but today’s an eye-opener.
“There’s a lot of people that are suffering a lot more than we are,” Gorges said, adding the players hoped to bring some laughter, smiles and see some excited children’s faces.
“Right now, that’s more important than playing hockey.”
Cole, a father of two, said: “You feel for the families and you really count your blessings when you get home.”
Cole, Gionta and Gorges also stopped by to see Los Angeles Kings fan Jonathan Caiola, 12.
“We didn’t talk much, but it was good meeting them,” he said.
Jonathan, who is in Grade 7, plays peewee hockey and says Carey Price is his favourite Canadiens player.
It’s a nice experience to meet the players, his mother Rosie Ippolito said.
“It’s amazing what they do for the kids,” she added. “And it’s just absolutely great to take the time to come and see them.”