Play For A Cure Pro Am raises more than $400,000 in 2023

The third annual Play For A Cure Pro Am fundraising event was a huge success.

Organizers say it exceeded everyone's expectations, and after tallying all of the additional income from the event they announced that $410,000 in total was raised this year.

We couldn't be more grateful to our sponsors, players, volunteers and committee for their continued support.

Play For A Cure is looking forward to making a huge impact, and organizers are supporting a commitment made by the University of Windsor and Windsor Regional Hospital, via a memorandum of understanding, for designated space for collaborative cancer research' adjacent to the new acute care hospital.

The event featured 10 teams including eight men's teams and two women's teams. 

The individual and team fundraising total's hit new heights with an incredible amount of money being raised:

1. Tango - $86,465
2. Windsor Regional Hospital Foundation Team- $60,168
3. Kingsville Brewery - $37,235
4. Breadth Consulting/Canada Life - $36,235
5. LiUNA! 625 - $31,846
6. Women's Red - $22,046
7. AIM Recycling - $20,046
8. Reliance Home Comfort - $15,326
9. Women's White - $14,712
10. Ground Effects - $12,330

The two day event began at Caesars Windsor with NHL Alumni Legend Marty McSorley hosting hot stove interviews, an elaborate silent auction and Jersey raffle. 

NHL and Pro alumni players included Adam Graves, Tim Taylor, Meghan Agosta, Michael Leighton, Marty McSorley, Megan Bozek, Lindsay Eastwood, Laura Fortino, Mike Krushelnyski, Colton Orr, Chris Thorburn, Al Iafrate and Brad May.

The following morning players, sponsors and volunteers gathered at the Vollmer Complex in LaSalle where the players were treated like pros.

Play For A Cure ended with the top 22 individual fundraiser's competing with and against NHL and Professional alumni hockey players.

Jeff Casey, PFAC organizer, says it's been an incredible journey to this point. 

Their original goal was $100,000 each tournament, but the first raised $286,000 and then after a two year absence due to the pandemic the second tournament in 2022 raised $400,000.

"Coming back for our third one this past April, so we are over $1.1 million dollars and our goal was $300,000. We're just blown away by the community support, all of our players that do all the fundraising, and all of our sponsors that really step up to ensure this is a great event," he said.

Casey says their objective is to support any local cancer research that's collaborative in nature.

He says they have a great group of players and supporters, and they're happy with the size of the tournament group.

"10 is the magic number, you don't want to really dilute it because it's meant for a nice relaxing day of hockey so to speak. We're really happy with the size that it is, last year was the first year having two women's teams and that turned out to be absolutely incredible. We had some amazing female pros come, and all of the female participants were extremely excited and happy with everything."

As a cancer survivor, it's personal for Casey who says despite the hard work required to put on these events it's all worth it in the end.

"To ensure that we have more survivors, you just keep going. To quote one of my favourite baseball coaches it's all gas no brake. We just have to keep going and keep pushing, there's a lot of great organizations doing great things in our community and we need to support them as well," he said.

All proceeds from the game will go to the Cancer Research Collaboration Fund, in partnership with the Windsor Essex Community Foundation, which was established to support collaborative cancer research initiatives in the community.

- with files from AM800's Rob Hindi