“Everyone is affected by cancer” Day 6 of the 11 Day Power Play kicks off

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — At the Harbor Center, more than 2,500 hockey players are lacing up their skates, picking up their sticks and playing with a purpose.

“The community has embraced the 11 Day Power Play, everyone is affected by cancer,” said Amy Lesakowski, co-founder of the event. “We have cancer survivors on the ice, we have family members who are in the stands who are battling cancer, and it’s really nice to see that hockey is a way we can raise this amount of money to support our families locally.”

Amy and Michael Lesakowski started the event eight years ago when they wanted to help break a world record of the longest continuous hockey game. Amy is a cancer survivor and they lost Michael’s mother to cancer a year prior to starting the event.

The event has turned into a community shift layout and over the years they have raised more than 11 million dollars to help our neighbors who are facing the hardships of cancer, and for their primary beneficiary; Roswell Park.

“Even though someone might donate just a few bucks, that few dollars is a lot more than they think, and it goes a long way toward really important research,” said Michael. “The treatments that saved Amy’s life in 2009 didn’t exist 15 years prior to that so research is making strides all the time.”

More than $6 million has been donated to Roswell Park. They’ve helped send more than 670 children to Camp Good Days and they’ve helped support more than 230 wishes with Make-A-Wish.

“That’s because of our community coming together, with the sport of hockey and the city of good neighbors, I guess that’s not a surprise,” said Amy.

This year, they are hoping to raise $1.7 million. Donations are accepted online or you can purchase merchandise at the games to benefit the cause.

New this year, the 11 Day Powerplay has a new logo, the Buffalo Junior Sabres has their month of June 50/50 to benefit the event, and the organizers have added a “Player of the Game” to each shift.

“This event is full of really interesting, heartfelt, sometimes emotional stories that revolve around cancer,” said Michael Lesakowski.

Juliet Chadima was the “Player of the Game” when she played alongside her brothers and father during the JMC Restorations shift.

“Me and my family know some people who have passed away from cancer and we think it’s very important just to spread awareness and raise money for people who are suffering from cancer,” said Chadima.

The 11 Day Power Play hockey marathon will continue until Sunday at 9 p.m. That night, the top three fundraising teams will play against Buffalo Sabres alumni, which will start around 6 p.m.

For more information on the 11 Day Power Play, you can visit their website here.

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here .