N-ICE CATCH
Hockey fan saves coach’s life when she spots mole on his neck from stand
AN ICE hockey fan saved the life of a team coach when she spotted a cancerous mole on his neck from the spectator stands.
Nadia Popovici, 22, was watching the Vancouver Canucks play the Seattle Kraken when she noticed equipment manager Brian Hamilton had a growth on his neck.
Nadia, who wants to study medicine, wrote a message on her phone and pressed it against the glass that separates supporters from players.
It read: “The mole on the back of your neck is possibly cancerous – please go see a doctor.”
She had highlighted “mole,” “cancer” and “doctor” in red.
Nadia had learned to spot the signs while volunteering at a hospital as a nursing assistant.
Hamilton later asked the team doctor and it emerged the mole was cancerous.
The growth was a type 2 malignant melanoma – meaning the cancer was only on the outer layer of his skin when caught.
The 47-year-old said: “She extended my life. The words out of the doctor’s mouth were, if I ignored that for four to five years I wouldn’t be here. How she saw it boggles my mind.
“It wasn’t very big, I wear a jacket, I wear a radio on the back of my jacket – she’s a hero.”
When Hamilton wanted to say thank you he realised he didn’t know who she was so the club turned to social media and within a few hours they discovered her identity. The pair were reunited on New Year’s Day at the game and Nadia revealed she was glad he had seen her phone message. It was later announced that both teams had united to fund a scholarship for Nadia to attend medical school.