Hometown hockey hero Sam Bennett met with children at Southlake’s Paediatric Oncology Clinic during his day with the Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup made its way to the Paediatric Oncology Clinic at Southlake Regional Health Centre on Friday, courtesy of Florida Panthers’ star forward and East Gwillimbury native Sam Bennett. It was all smiles and laughter for paediatric patients and their families during a private visit from Bennett, who shared the excitement of his team’s recent victory.
“We just got done at the hospital where I got to see a great group of kids that have been through some hard times,” said Bennett. “It’s pretty cool to see how excited they are to meet the Stanley Cup and take a picture.”
The visit meant the world to the 12 young patients who participated. For the first time in a long time, they weren’t coming to Southlake for treatment or medical appointments related to cancer – they were just kids excited to see the Stanley Cup and a local NHL superstar. Each child had a chance to meet Bennett, take a photo with the Stanley Cup and received a signed photo and hockey puck.
“Sam brought kids in need at Southlake a lot of positive energy with the Stanley Cup,” said Alex Rozalowsky, one of the young patients who attended the visit. “Today was a good day. It brought a lot of smiles to their faces.”
Every year, players and staff from the winning team each get a day with the Stanley Cup as tours across North America and Europe. During his day with the Stanley Cup, Bennett participated in a public meet and greet at the East Gwillimbury Sports Complex, the local rink where he learned to skate and play hockey as a child, before visiting Southlake.
“Sam’s visit with the Stanley Cup brought immense joy to young patients who are fighting cancer,” said Andrea Fretz, Child Life Specialist, Southlake. “Moments like this remind us of the power of community and the importance of celebrating the human spirit, especially during our centennial year. We are incredibly thankful to Sam and the Florida Panthers for making this visit possible.”
