As the Ghostriders tribute team, we want to celebrate the power of Hockey Moms. Raising awareness and supporting Cancer research, treatment, education and scholarships of Cancer victims and families. We are doing that by supporting them as they battle life’s greatest challenges, especially breast, ovarian and brain cancer, three of the biggest killers. It’s a fact that medical research leads to b
reakthroughs and cures, but it’s also a fact that much of the most important medical research, especially into the most fatal of the cancers, is funded by private donations from people who care. They make it all possible through their tireless efforts in getting players organized, focused, and to the rink on time so they can fully enjoy the beauty of the sport. And Hockey Moms know how to teach their players to have fun while they learn life lessons in sportsmanship and character building. A hockey player may have many coaches during their playing career, but they will only have one Hockey Mom. She’s the one who raised them, on and off the rink. When fatal illnesses take Hockey Moms away, both the Hockey Family and every Hockey Player lose their most valuable treasure. But in that deep sense of loss is a determination to do something to find the cure for those illnesses, so Hockey Moms will be saved from the suffering that so many before had to endure. Hockey Families are all about caring. That’s why the Hockey Mom Foundation was formed by a group of hockey families in 2015 as an IRS tax-exempt 501 (c)3 charitable organization. The Hockey Mom Foundation has already made a targeted donation toward research into a brain cancer vaccine trial at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, led by a doctor who treated a Hockey Mom who died from brain cancer. Everyone in the Ghostriders family has lost someone to Cancer. Our Founder's and Coach John & Brenda Marr lost both of their mom's, and John's Father to Cancer. In Fact in July 2001 Johns Father was buried with a first place trophy his 14U Team GEAR won the day John Sr passed. My Wife Pamela Craven and my Hockey Mom for our sons died of a rare form of ovarian cancer in 2015 after an eight-year battle that taught doctors at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic and Florida Hospital Cancer Center many new things about the illness that now benefit other patients. But had there been an early detection test, Pam might still be alive today because she had a perfect physical just eight months before collapsing with stage IV cancer. The extreme chemo and radiation treatments that were required as a result caused her to suffer many complications as she fought to continue being a Hockey Mom, going to the rink even when we knew she was suffering, but refused to show it. In her honor, and in honor of all Hockey Moms who suffer, we created the Hockey Mom Foundation Ghostriders tribute team. The Ghostriders were already a part of Shadows Hockey, an AAU-affiliated developmental hockey program that is also a 501 (c)3 tax exempt charitable organization. To raise awareness and funds for medical research, we knew that the hockey rinks and the tournaments are the best place to send out the call for Hockey Families to unite. The young men who play on the HMF Ghostriders are dedicated to their Hockey Moms, and are using their talents on and off the rink to help. When they aren’t playing in the top levels of the sport in Senior AA and Pro divisions, the HMF Ghostriders are working the Hockey Mom Foundation booth, selling t-shirts, bracelets, car magnets and helmet stickers to raise money for the foundation. In their first tournament in February, the team raised $500 and immediately donated it to the Hockey Mom Foundation. The team also helped Hockey Mom cancer survivors sell the “Love Your Hockey Mom” gear at their own rinks, resulting in another $1,000 donation to the Foundation. The momentum is building and the HMF Ghostriders are ready.
