It's often said that real men wear pink - especially in October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Although the Ontario Hockey League's Plymouth Whalers cut a distinctive figure in their blue, green or white jerseys, they looked especially dashing on Tuesday in pink jerseys that will be worn on Saturday when Plymouth hosts Sarnia on Saturday at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena. The jerseys will be auctioned off on Saturday with proceeds going to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute.
On Tuesday morning, Whalers Matt Mistele, Nick Malysa and Danny Vanderwiel visited Plymouth season ticket holder and 99.5 WYCD morning host Rachael Hunter while she was performing her show. Later, Mistele, Malysa and Vanderwiel were joined by Gianluca Curcuruto, Ryan Hartman and Mitch Jones at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit.
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Cancer treatment can be a grim business for everyone involved, but the Whalers have a way of prying smiles and good cheer out of everyone they meet.
"It's been a wonderful morning," said Nanci Burrows, Director of Customer Services for KCI. "The Whalers arrived at 10 am and we headed out on rounds. The cheer and smiles that they brought to our patients and their families' faces was worth a millions dollars. They really made a difference in their visit here at the Karmanos Cancer Institute today.
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"We are so grateful that they could spend a morning with us. They were very respectful, professional and compassionate in their conversations with our patients and their families. They were friendly and gave a little bit about their backgrounds. We had a few chuckles and it was really lighthearted."
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James Crisler has battled Stage Four cancer over four years and met Curcuruto, Hartman and Jones during his visit to KCI.
"I'm dealing with this with the support of a good family," Crisler said with a smile. "I'm very excited to meet the Whalers. I'm coming in when I'm not feeling too good, but it's great to see them."
While Hartman signed a mini-stick for Crisler, Jones and Curcuruto visited and spoke with him at the same time.
Although Hartman didn't talk about, breast cancer hits home with him. Hartman's mother, Kim, is a breast cancer survivor.
The staff at KCI treat patients like members of an extended family.
"We have an amazing team at the Karmanos Cancer Institute," said Burrows. "We are very dedicated to the compassionate care of our patients and their families. Our patients come to us at - often times - the most challenging period in their lives, so anything we can do to make it easier for them, that's what we're all here to do, every day."
For one week - and on Saturday, against Sarnia, at 7:05 pm at Compuware Arena - the Plymouth Whalers are doing their part, too.
