Pink The Rink
What an amazing couple of months! I wanted to take the opportunity in this blog post to talk about one amazing event Illumination Women’s Health helped to sponsor in October. But first, we need to give the backstory that lead to this. For those of you who know me, know that my three boys are active in playing hockey. We’ve spent years as a family driving from rink to rink for tournaments, friendly games, practices, team dinners in motels, community volunteer events, etc. And, what an experience we’ve had with each of our boys and watching each of them grow and mature into the young men they have become. It is important for me and the culture of Illumination Women’s Health to not only do what we can to provide exceptional care to women, but to take care of those around us and to demonstrate in all things we do that we really do care and we will do what we can to help.
Kandiss Inman and one Super Awesome Montana Tech Hockey Player, Sawyer.
Two of the Montana Tech Hockey’s biggest fans!
Second part of the backstory, beyond our love of family and sporting events is the profound impact cancer has had on those whom we admire and love. Friends and family who have fought and sometimes lost the fight against cancer. Patients I have worked with in identifying and helping to support dealing with cancer. It is a horrible disease and Illumination Women’s Health is committed to doing what we can to help. And, absolutely, we do offer screening services for cancer but beyond the services we directly provide we felt the need to do something more.
So, my husband and I contacted the Montana Tech Hockey Club earlier this fall and offered to sponsor pink game jerseys for the team and auction them off after the game and contribute 100% of the proceeds to support a local organization working to provide cancer services in Butte, Montana. Thinking of it as an opportunity to support the fight against cancer but also support a fun event for the Montana Tech Hockey Team who is returning this year for the first time since Covid. It was an important event for us for all the reasons listed above.
Montana Tech Hockey Team
And boy, things could not have been more perfect. We had our family all there for the event which is an accomplishment by itself. But, not only that, the stands were packed making for a truly electric environment. The game started off with a puck drop by a cancer survivor and faculty member of Montana Tech. They were surrounded by local girls youth players in pink jerseys which set the stage for an exciting and tough game between Montana Tech and Eastern Washington University.
Youth Hockey Players Gearing Up for the Opening Puck Drop with Team Captain. Check out that jersey!
As the game got underway, we went from thinking about cancer research to watching an exciting hockey game. If this wasn’t enough, I watched as our son scored his first college hockey goal in the third period. And last, we watched as the Montana Tech Hockey team would take the game with a win, in overtime, against Eastern Washington University! And, of course, we bid on the jersey our son wore during the game contributing to this event. Look for it at your next office appointment hanging up in the office! In total, the event raised nearly $6000 for the St. James Cancer Center in Butte. So proud of the boys team and the many people who helped make this event a success. So, we finished off the day excited after watching an amazing game but also humbled and grateful for being able to contribute to this important cause.
Game Puck from First College Goal!
Special shout out to Coach David Rathgeber with Montana Tech! He was supportive from the very beginning to getting the jerseys ordered and coordinating with the Butte Chamber of Commerce to make everything perfect. We would be remiss if we didn’t also thank all the assistant coaches, the players, Stephanie Sorini with the Butte Chamber of Commerce and the fine people at the St. James Cancer Center in Butte, Montana. You are all amazing in your own way!
Montana Tech Wins! Go Diggers!
That is all for this blog post, hope you enjoyed reading about this event and looking forward to future events we can write about here. Take care and reach out if you have any questions about the service Illumination Women’s Health offers the community.
