On Feb. 14, the annual Pink in the Rink event at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre will host Western Hockey League rivals the Victoria Royals and Vancouver Giants to raise money for those affected by cancer.
As a part of the on-ice showdown, the Victoria Royals Foundation has pledged to donate over $4,800 to the Canadian Cancer Society's Vancouver Island Lodge – a 20-room, 38-bed facility for people receiving cancer treatments at the Royal Jubilee Hospital.
The Royals won't be the only ones raising money. West Coast Cranes has pledged to match the the Royals' donation, and the Fancy and David Foundation will contribute $5 per ticket sold to the BC Cancer Foundation to support the CAR-T immunotherapy research project at the Deeley Research Centre in Victoria, where scientists and doctors study the immune system's response to cancer.
Event attendees will have the chance to further support the cause by purchasing 50/50 raffle tickets and Pink in the Rink merchandise, the proceeds of which will go to the Vancouver Island Lodge.
“This event is more than just a hockey game – it’s a night of community-led action and reflection,” Joey Poljanowski, the Royals' vice-president of hockey operations, said in a news release. “We want to challenge our fans to pack the rink pink, wear the colour, celebrate those affected by cancer and help us make an even bigger impact through attendance and donations.”
