Once again the Chilcotin Grizzlies and Alkali Braves will face-off in a hockey game to raise funds for someone in the Williams Lake area.
This year the senior men's hockey teams selected to help six-year-old Duncan Eckert and his family who are staying at Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver while Duncan undergoes another round of chemotherapy for leukemia.
The game will be played on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 4 p.m. and will include a silent auction and 50/50.
"With it being almost Christmas time, and the family heading to Vancouver again, we thought the time was right," said Lane Spooner who is organizing the game with help from his mom Shannon Woods and his girlfriend Jordyn Pilkington.
Duncan's mom, Kelli Eckert, said her son was diagnosed on June 14.
He originally got sick at the end of April, but they weren’t sure what was causing him to be sick.
After many visits to emergency, the pediatrician and many tests they got a referral to BC Children’s Hospital on June 13.
"Our amazing team did a bone marrow test and it came back positive for B-Cell ALL Leukemia," Kelli said, adding ever since then their lives have been flipped upside down.
Duncan, she said, has been handling his diagnosis well beyond his years, he understands what is going on, he knows why he’s getting chemotherapy, the many pokes and tests and what they’re doing to his body.
"But there’s definitely some stuff he hasn’t enjoyed he has to do, which I honestly don’t blame him. He’s six and no child should have to go through it."
Kelli, her husband Brandon and their daughter Chelley, 5, are together with Duncan in Vancouver and will be there until at least the beginning of January.
"We will still will be travelling down to Vancouver for treatment until the summer of 2026," she said.
Duncan is a big hockey fan and loves the Edmonton Oilers. Leon Draisaitl is his favourite hockey player "ever," said Kelli.
"When he’s not playing hockey, talking about hockey, or looking at hockey books, which isn’t very often, he plays with Lego, or likes to do his school work."
Spooner said it was his sister who told him about Duncan's plight as her daughter goes to school with him at Cataline Elementary School.
In advance of the game, Spooner delivered donation letters and has received support from businesses in Williams Lake.
"There are a lot of locals donating items and their time to come and support the game, which is nice.," Spooner added. "It's been a big help and great to see everybody coming together."
He said fundraising is what they enjoy doing, with this being their fourth charity game.
"We like playing hockey and playing for a cause like this is pretty awesome," Spooner said, noting the team plays in competitive men's leagues, often going to tournaments.
Admission to the game is by donation and 100 per cent of all proceeds will be going to the family.
Anyone else wanting to donate can send a message through the Chilcotin Grizzlies Facebook page.
