The Nashville Predators community involvement efforts continue to pay dividends for Music City. Later today, Martin Erat, Anders Lindback and the President/COO of the Nashville Predators Sean Henry will present a check for over $180,000 to Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. This one is special to me as this hospital has performed miracles, especially in pediatric cancer.
I am blessed as a father, with three strong healthy children who have not had to use this fine facility, thank heavens, but I have experienced what this hospital can do through way too many friends of my kids who have, and of course through the Hockey Fights Cancer program. It is through that program I have met children like Trace, Marshall and Brandi, three Predator ambassadors for the HFC program that have completely stolen my heart. These three youngsters signify why these efforts are so important, and they highlight the very real impact that they have.
These three youngsters also represent the joy and the pain of these efforts. Last season, on Hockey Fights Cancer night, nine year old Brandi Burton dropped the ceremonial first puck between Shea Weber and Sidney Crosby. A month later, despite every possible effort, she would succumb to this disease. Honestly, I still fill up whenever I think of the little girl’s beautiful smile.
The joy of this is in stories like Trace or Marshall, two survivors that are back to their lives after a detour through a disease that no child deserves. They both are clear of the cancer that threatened them and looking forward, not back. Trace is playing for his high school hockey team, looking hale and hearty when I saw him toward the end of last season. Marshall is back at school and has put his battle with Ewing Sarcoma firmly in his rear view mirror, planning to play sports again and resume a normal life.
I’ve seen other success stories with my children’s friends and I believe the word miracle is the right one to use to describe their recoveries. It is why I believe so strongly in the work this great facility does. Today's check presentation will represent a continuation of the Predator's commitment, a commitment that has raised almost half a million dollars over the past three years.
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Random Notes
- LA Kings blog "Jewels from the Crown" has a very interesting take on the Shea Weber arbitration, they make the point that the arbitrator wasn’t allowed to look at comparables that were not part of the cases made to him… fascinating… you can read it
here.
- Today is Preds day on NHL.com. The team’s 30 in 30 column is posted
here
- EJ Hradek is predicting a return to the playoffs for the Preds in his video preview on NHL.com
- Looks like some more competition is coming to the sports talk dial as several reports have WPRT-FM (102.5 the Party) flipping formats to sports. Reports indicate the transition the new station will be called 102.5 the Game and the flip will happen soon. 102.5 is owned by the same company that owns the Predators flagship station 102.9 the Buzz.
- Tragic news as Winnipeg Jets forward Rick Rypien was found dead yesterday. Thoughts and prayers to his family.
- 30 days till training camp opens.
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