Pair of Tigers hockey teams raising money for Medicine Hat cancer centre

Head Coach Kevin Riehl, a former Medicine Hat Tigers player, said when his playing days were over and he started to coach, he wanted to continue to give back.

“We’re privileged to play a fun sport, and I think that the guys have to learn, what can you give back instead of always taking from the sport,” Riehl said.

“I’ve worked with Dan now for probably about eight, nine years, with the U18 AA program, and now with the U17 AAA program,” he added.

“We get a game with all the proceeds from our 50/50, silent auction, jersey sales, the popcorn sales that the boys make for everybody. We just want to make sure that it’s all donated to a worthy cause like this.”

Each player wrote on a paper they held for a photo to show they are playing for someone who’s been affected by cancer, for a video that will be shown on site during the game.

Dan Thomas, manager of the cancer centre, says a lot of the funding goes to help patients through the Provincial Patient and Family Access Program.

“That provides funds to patients who may not have the needs to do the travel or even for travel within the city or basics of life, whatever they need it for.”

Thomas says they see about 300 new cancer patients each year at the centre, with approximately 5,000 appointments per year.

“It takes a lot of teamwork, and the team just isn’t the cancer centre itself,” Thomas said.

“It’s family, friends, and community. I think with the teams doing that, it’s showing a sense of community around here, and that all impacts cancer and the journey.”

Riehl said there reason they visited the cancer centre was to help them understand the impact of their fundraising efforts.

“I think their eyes were opened a little bit, and then they just got to see some of the rooms and what a person has to go through,” Riehl said.

“It was great for them to see that they’re just not going out to play a game for something that now they can feel part of a what we’re doing here is helping somebody.”

Carson Jerome, a goaltender on the team, billeting from Langdon, Alta., won his own battle with cancer two years ago after going through seven weeks of radiation.

“Having the game here. It helps the town a lot for people here and it raises money for them and it means a lot to me that we can do that for them,” Jerome said.

Treyden Kleinkneckt, captain of the team, played in the cancer game last season, and said hearing about people affected by cancer is an emotional experience.

“It’s just you get really emotional because you think of how these people go through all this stuff and it just feels good to know that you are helping anybody who is going through this stuff,” Kleinknecht said.

Coming up this weekend the Medicine Hat Tigers have their Tigers Fight Cancer game against the Regina Pats, Saturday night at 7 p.m. with proceeds also supporting the cancer centre, by auctioning off the cancer jerseys they wear.

Tigers defenseman Jonas Woo is looking forward to it.

“I mean obviously it’s a special night. All these guys have people who they are playing for, so yeah it’s going to be a good emotional night.”

For the SEAC U17 AAA Tigers Cancer Game, they get to wear their cancer jerseys on Sunday, Nov. 10 at the Kinplex 1 Arena at 2:15 p.m.

by Jesse Gill

Pair of Tigers hockey teams raising money for Medicine Hat cancer centre

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