Hockey Fights Cancer and how the Kraken help with Mel O'Brochta

1st intermission full interview as Mike Benton sits down with Mel O'Brochta (Kraken and Climate Pledge Arena) on the impact of Hockey Fights Cancer Night presented by Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Why does this game mean so much? You're with the
hands on impact.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
Yeah, it's really special to be part of this league initiative.
All thirty two teams participate. But it's one of the
most beautiful nights here at Climate Pledgerina. Everything flips to Lavender,
but it is so much bigger than that. Tonight, though,
is really special because we will physically be doing some
cancer screening here on site. Last year we screened I
think over one hundred men with just a simple blood test,

(00:26):
and so it is really important because the message we're
really trying to communicate is that early detection can really
save lives.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Well, the front door advertising here with how this turns
into Lavender really just strikes the I. It's done so
for me for so many years. We'll get into more
of the screening part of this because it's so important,
but I mean, what examples elsewhere can you think of
with this game and the event that tells the greatest
kind of story that just validates why the Kraken and
the rest of the NHL do this.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Yeah, I mean we actually have a patient here with
us tonight that did this screening last year and is
about to finish their treatment and so it quite literally
is a one for one example of like why this
night is so impactful and why the NHL pushes a
story like this. We are literally saving lives, and I
think sometimes when you get wrapped up in sports and emotions,

(01:14):
it's hard to remember that at the end of the day,
you know, we're all humans and it's important to increase
the longevity and live really healthy lives. And I think
that's what our partnership with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health is
really about, is really encouraging a healthy lifestyle, and early
detection is really a part of that.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Jaden Schwartz's story tells a lot about this saving here
his sister Mandy a tribute to this often it's a
story that really bears repeating and the reason why that
this game is so important. And add to that, you've
got players going to hospitals, you're in there with them.
You've got players jerseys going up here for auction among
other ventures. So what difference have the players made here
for hockeyfis cancer?

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yeah, Jaden has been such a phenomenal extension of our
partnership with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. He himself has done
a ton of hospital visits. Just last week, we took
six guys down over to Burien to Saint Anne Hospital
just to visit the cancer center itself and also really
uplift the lives of the staff working there that are
really in it. But the players are totally bought in.

(02:11):
It's been really cool even just downstairs watching them walk
in in the Hockey Fights Cancer jerseys. But they're incredible
proponents for this night, and it's really nice to see
them dive in.

Speaker 1 (02:19):
Bill brought to joining us here in the intermission, and
I want to talk about the cancer screenings because I
mean this is kind of close to home for me.
I'm getting up there in the age category, so you
had to really kind of think about this stuff. You know,
what do you appreciate about the different types of ways
that fans can jump in with different types of screenings
here and then benefit as well.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah, So with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, we've got the
simple PSA blood test tonight, but we also have a
mobile lung cancer screening unit that I know they've brought
to other sports teams here locally in Seattle, and I
know they've got a mobile Mammogram clinic as well, and
so just be on the lookout for other opportunities that

(02:58):
fans can engage. But you can do tonight specifically encourage
folks to go participate in the screening. We've got I
Fight four cards for everyone, and of course these beautiful
beanies to really just continue to.

Speaker 1 (03:09):
Share the message outside of this A Kraken all the
five k It was at Green Lake back on October fourth.
What do you recall about that day and how much
it moved the dial here for this event?

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Yeah, this night is just a piece of our ongoing
activations with Virginia Mason Franciscan Health throughout the year. The
five case such a fun way to kick it all
off in early October. We raised almost fourteen thousand dollars
that night, and then of course tonight we'll have the
anchor auction benefiting the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health Crack and
Hockey Fights Cancer Fund and the team stores even adding
a roundup for tonight that normally will go to a

(03:42):
Wonder Foundation, but Wonder Foundation will be routing the funds
to the Hockey Fights Cancer Fund.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
What a movement, what a moment, What a night. Mel,
thank you so much, Thanks guys,