Purpose in Purple

On Nov. 16, the Seattle Kraken held their third “Hockey Fights Cancer” night presented by Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. But the event was about more than that just one game. It was about shining a light on the stories of those affected by cancer and taking away the mystery or fear that sometimes keeps people from working with their doctors to detect the disease as early as possible.

On that night, Climate Pledge Arena was awash in purple – the primary color for Hockey Fights Cancer – on everything from digital billboards and dasher boards on the ice, to player jerseys that were auctioned off and “I Fight For” signs that people could customize with the names of people in their lives touched by cancer. Virginia Mason Franciscan Health doctors were available to answer any questions people had and funds from the 50-50 raffle, Anchor Auction and the Kraken Unity Fund were directed towards initiatives focused on fighting cancer.

Among those in attendance were many who were fighting their own battles against the disease participated in various VIP experiences throughout the night.

And for those in the fight, the sense of community and its support was palpable.

These are just a few of their stories.

A Story of Self-Advocacy

Janae Waterstraat attended her first Kraken game on Hockey Fights Cancer night. Invited by her oncologist, Dr. Quynh Le. Waterstraat finished two-plus years of diagnosis and treatment in July of this year that included six months of chemotherapy and three months of radiology. While she felt something was wrong in her breast, initial mammograms at a clinic didn’t find anything at first. But Waterstraat kept going in for checkups, sensing something wasn’t right and in the summer of 2022, a mass close to her armpit revealed itself and she was referred to VMFH and Dr. Le where she received a diagnosis of breast cancer.

“I felt like (Dr. Le) kept me on my path making sure that doctors were getting back to me and making sure that I was scheduled when I needed to be,” Waterstraat said. “I think because of her, I was a couple months ahead of schedule just getting through the process. She was so fantastic and she was my advocate. She was amazing.”

Dr. Le says the determination to get anything checked out no matter how big or small it might be – like Waterstraat did – can be a huge piece of successful treatment and recovery. Especially if it starts early.

“It's important that we start screening women earlier,” Dr. Le said. “Early detection is the cornerstone of breast cancer treatment. Early detection improves breast cancer outcomes, as well as survival. So that's why it's a cornerstone. We want to make sure that women know when to get mammograms. In 1987, only 29% of women 40 years and older were getting screening mammograms. By the year 2000, it's increased to 70%. We're probably closer to 90% now, but it should be 100%.

“We know that there was a 40% decline in breast cancer death rates with early detection. So we know it works, whether that mean self-examination or you see a doctor and we do a mammogram.”

Watterstraat, who was moved by meeting fellow survivors and seeing the entire crowd hold up signs for who they fight for, says giving a voice to the importance of early detection and seeking out the medical attention you need has been an important part of her recovery.

“As women, I think we’re really quick to disregard your situation.” Watterstraat said. ”And I think we need to listen to our inner voice and it's always better just to get be sure and get checked rather than not get checked.”

A Story of Support

“Kathy” was diagnosed with breast cancer in February of 2020. A shooting pain in her breast led her to see a doctor and she was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer. Among her team of medical professionals was oncologist, Dr. Meaghan O’Malley of Virginia Mason Franciscan Health.

“Dr. O'Malley said we're just going to treat it like we can cure it,” Kathy said.

After rounds of chemotherapy and radiation as well as a bilateral mastectomy, Kathy is doing well and three post-treatment CAT scans show that.

“Dr. O’Malley is so caring,” Kathy said. “She talks to you like you're a human being. She is open and honest. She answers any questions you have. And like I said, she said ‘we're going to treat this as if we can cure it, even though it was stage four. Let's just give it a shot.’ We did and so far, so good.”

Dr. O’Malley and Kathy were in the Virginia Mason Franciscan Health hosted suite on Hockey Fights Cancer night. And Kathy was blown away by the support of the Kraken organization and its fans. She says we have to keep highlighting the importance of early detection and seeking treatment as well as offering support – because too many people take their health for granted. “Early detection would have saved me from probably going through everything that I went through.”

A Story of Hope

No matter who you spoke with, when asked what one of the most poignant moments of the evening was, the answer came quickly. “The throat cancer survivor who sang the national anthem.”

That singer is Paul Klein. Known as the anthem singer for the Seattle Thunderbirds, Klein sang the anthem at last year’s Hockey Fights Cancer game, as well. But, as he was still in treatment, his voice struggled, and so the voices of the crowd around him joined in. When Klein (who got the ‘all clear’ from his medical team in July) got the invite to sing at this year’s game, it meant “everything.”

As a lover of hockey (and goalie in local rec leagues), Klein explained it in terms of the sport.

“Last year I felt like the EBUG (emergency goalie),” Klein said. “This year I felt like the call up from Coachella. I felt like, as Dave Hakstol says about call-ups, ‘he's earned this opportunity.’

“Last year it was an achievement. This year, it felt like a responsibility. I wanted to do it again from a different perspective. I wanted to show that we can make it through hard things, right?”

Mission accomplished. To people in all stages of fighting cancer, it stood out as a beacon of survivorship – life returning to normal - perhaps better! – after a hard-fought battle.