As many of you already know, my son Nick and I are skating in the 2018 edition of the 11 Day Power Play.

Last year 40 players played hockey for 11 straight day, with players on the ice for every minute except for when the ice was being resurfaced, and raised over $1.2M to fight cancer.

This year teams will be playing in much more reasonable 4 hour shifts. All money raised will be donated to Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Make a Wish Foundation.

Roswell Park is a world leading hospital for both the treatment of cancer and research. My daughter Julie has worked there doing research for the past 3 summers during college.

Make a Wish grants the wishes of critically ill children, bringing normalcy to the lives of the ill children and their families during a period of extreme stress and anguish. Both are incredibly worthy causes.

Nick and I are playing on a team composed mostly of father and son pairs. When asked if he wanted to play Nick agreed immediately, even though it delays our departure to our Vermont vacation by ½ a day, a huge concession in his world. On the other hand I continue to have grave misgivings about my ability to play hockey for 4 hours straight but the cause is one I hold dear.

Both my wife Jennifer and my mom survived cancer, both because of Roswell Park. We also have a good friend and former teammate of Nick’s who was stricken with, and survived cancer, missing only 1 hockey season with the help of Roswell and Make a Wish, allowing him to play and live on. Roswell and Make a Wish saved not only Blake’s life, but supported his family as well.

Unfortunately, we also have experienced the flip side of cancer.  My cousin Brad, a man I was very close to, died of cancer 11 years ago.   

Friends Julie and Keith lost their amazing son Pat to cancer. Harry Mooney, a great lawyer and better man was lost to us. I remember to this day the announcement during math class in high school that one of my class mates had passed from Leukemia. I was in 11^th grade but recall it vividly. This has gone on too long. There were so many more. We have all been touched by cancer and we all know that it must be eradicated.

This is why we play, to honor the survivors, to honor those who did not survive, and to help raise money to fight against this insidious disease to save our children, and their children.

If you feel able we would appreciate any donation to our team.   Thank you so much.  David and Nick.

This summer, more than 1,700 pairs of skates will hit the ice to play in the 2018 11 Day Power Play Community Shift to help in the fight against cancer! The 11-day game will be played in continuous, four-hour shifts at HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York. Each shift will feature two new teams. The purpose of this important event is to raise critically-needed funds for important local cancer causes, including: cutting-edge cancer research and wellness programs at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center; supporting programs that improve quality of life for children, adults and families affected by cancer through Camp Good Days; and, granting wishes and amazing experiences to kids with life-threatening illnesses, including cancer, by Make-A-Wish Western New York. Although it may be physically challenging for our players to play four continuous hours of hockey, it will be a walk in the park compared to what some people have to endure in their battle against cancer. Cancer is a disease that touches everyone, and The 11 Day Power Play wants to make a difference, a big difference. You can help make a big difference by supporting our players' efforts in The 11 Day Power Play Community Shift.

As part of our fundraising efforts, we also offer various corporate sponsorships, providing value greatly in excess of the financial contribution. Please contact Sara Schumacher at sara@11daypowerplay.com or 716-830-3805 for more information. Team sponsorships start at $1,100 and are first come, first serve. 

Proceeds of the 11 Day Power Play Community Shift will benefit our local families while supporting cancer research and wellness programs at Roswell Park, Make-A-Wish WNY and Camp Good Days.

Donations are graciously accepted either online or by check. Please write checks out to 'The 11 Day Power Play' and send to PO Box 4 Buffalo NY 14223.

Find out more about this event, or the 2017 World’s Longest Hockey Game, at www.11daypowerplay.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.