If you or someone you know is going through chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer, the Collingwood Blues would like to give you a gift.
Kathy Jeffery, the chair of the Blues' Hockey Battles Cancer event has a few dozen totes packed specifically for people going through cancer treatments. The totes were prepared by a company in Vaughan called Shirley's Hope, which was started in memory of a friend lost to cancer.
The items have been chosen after extensive research into what kinds of things will be most helpful and usable during treatment.
"A lot of sourcing has gone into this," said Jeffery. "These are all paid for now, and we want to give them as gifts."
The totes come packed with comfort items like a blanket, warm socks, an eye mask and a neck pillow, with some entertainment items like a colouring book and markers, hygiene items like a toothbrush, toothpaste, Kleenex, eye care and hand sanitizer, and also some other useful things like device chargers, skin care items, ginger chews and earbuds. Finally, there's a medical treatment log ready to fill out, the cover of which is embossed with an encouraging "you've got this."
Jeffery is now appealing to the local communities of Collingwood, Clearview, Wasaga Beach, and The Blue Mountains, to find people who could benefit from the totes as they start their treatments.
"We'd like them to have the benefit of [the totes] and the comfort that these contents can bring," said Jeffery. "All we need is a name and a community."
The money for the totes was raised during the 2024 Collingwood Blues Hockey Battles Cancer event in February. At the event, fans helped the team raise $16,000 for the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital's diagnostic imaging department, plus the money used to buy the care totes. In total, the event took in more than $31,000.
So far, Jeffery has found a few people to gift the tote to, some just starting their treatments, and others farther along. In each, Jeffery leaves a card to say the Blues are thinking of them and wishing them a speedy and comfortable recovery.
"I had one woman open it while I was there, and it was like Christmas, she was just so excited," said Jeffery. "She said it's difficult to afford some of the stuff, and she hadn't had anything new in a while."
To ask about a tote for yourself or someone you know, contact the Blues at [email protected] to request a care gift tote.
