“Use your degree to make the world a better place.” – Leo Lambert, Elon University President

My Tour de National Hockey league journey is sure to be a long, rewarding, and exciting experience enjoying the sport I love. It’s a journey that permits me to re-connect with friends and family and create memories that will undoubtedly last a lifetime. But I sincerely hope that it’s a journey that impacts more than just my own life or the readers on my blog. I hope it’s a journey with a greater purpose: to benefit others. I’ve met two great people who have inspired me to use this journey for a greater good, and I’d like to introduce them to you.

The first is my grandmother, Leona Dotson. In her remarkable 97 plus years of life, she always wore a bright smile on her face, the best, funkiest socks you could find (Elmo and animal socks were her favorites), and was always there to chat or lend a helping hand in any way she could. She was a remarkable woman, surviving 42 years after she was diagnosed with breast cancer when the doctors estimated she would survive another one or two years. She even beat the disease again in 2012, all the while maintaining a positive attitude. While our entire family and all those who knew Leona will miss her dearly, her warm spirit, gentle laugh, exceptionally timed one-line jokes, and sense of charity and imagination will live on in us forever.

The second is a new friend, Mr. Rob Suggitt. Much like myself, Rob is a fellow passionate hockey fan and keen adventurer who set a personal goal of attending an NHL game in every city. But he went above any beyond my call of duty: he attended 30 Games in 30 Nights! I came across Rob’s website one day at lunch, and was fascinated by his story and his mission (and of course, his arena reviews). Along the way, the Edmonton native and publishing executive set out to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and over the course of his travels, raised over $45,000 for Make-A-Wish. Rob was kind enough to speak with me about his journey and his fundraising efforts, and it inspired me to do something similar with my adventure.

And that’s exactly what I’m doing. Inspired by Leona and Rob’s respective journeys, I’m excited to announce a partnership with Hockey Fights Cancer. Founded in 1998, Hockey Fights Cancer is a joint venture between the NHL and the NHLPA that raises money and awareness for cancer patients and their families. Every year, the NHL holds Hockey Fights Cancer nights where teams dress in special purple uniforms and donate to various cancer-related causes. Proceeds from these initiatives support the American and Canadian Cancer Societies by providing patients and their families lodging and transportation to and from treatment centers, symptom management support, and other programs that help benefit the quality of patients’ lives. My grandmother was fortunate to beat cancer twice, and I hope that my fundraising efforts, however meager they may be, will support those in need of assistance fighting this terrible disease.

For every game I attend, I will donate $50 to Hockey Fights Cancer, and I will ask my co-attendees to donate any amount they feel comfortable or able to. I also welcome any support from my readers. You can learn more about my fundraiser here. Even if you just read and pass the message along to one other person, I am eternally grateful for your support. It is my hope that this fundraiser will serve as a long-lasting memory of the impact my grandmother made on my life.