NEW CUMBERLAND, Pa. — Ice hockey goalies from across North America are raising funds for cancer research by counting the number of saves they make through October.
The October Saves Goalie Challenge was founded in 2014 to raise money for pediatric and breast cancer research.
“October Saves is an event that started seven years ago where ice hockey goalies across North America, they sign up to participate, and they get family, friends, teammates, whoever they can to pledge a certain amount of money per save that they make during the month of October,” said Lara Hopewell, executive director of the organization.
The event has raised more than $1.5 million in total, Hopewell said, including $500,000 from last year’s fundraiser.
Beneficiaries include the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the CHEO Foundation, Inova, Family Reach and Lungevity.
This year, the event will also benefit three emergency funds helping cancer patients who have been financially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic: Breathe Easier, run through Lungevity; COVID-19 Emergency Fund through Family Reach; and COVID-19 Real Help Now Fund through the Pink Fund.
“COVID makes a cancer diagnosis all the more difficult,” Hopewell said.
Money also helps fund the October Saves Scholarship through the Goalie Guild.
Linglestown resident Chris Dunn, who plays ice hockey at Twin Ponds Rink in Harrisburg and sometimes fills in as a goalie at deck hockey games, is one of the goalies raising funds for the first time this year.
“I have some family struggling with cancer and I also know with COVID going on, I couldn’t imagine struggling with cancer through all this,” Dunn said. “So if I can find any way to bring some positivity back into the community, I’ll do it.”
Filling in at a deck hockey game on Sunday, Dunn reported making 31 saves.
He said he welcomed each shot as a chance to raise more money.
“I find it fun,” Dunn said. “They say goalies are a special kind of crazy.”
By the end of the day on Oct. 4, October Saves Goalie Challenge had raised more than $100,000.