Nancy Vink

Some hockey stories start in packed arenas. This one started in an old chicken barn.

No lights. No boards. Just passion, sticks and a dream carried by a young girl who wasn’t even allowed to play organized hockey. But she played anyway — on frozen ponds, in the “hockey barn” and eventually in an intramural league at 21.

Now, she’s a mom, part of a family of goalies and using the game she loves to fight for something even bigger: a future without cancer.

Her mom battled cancer for 10 years with unwavering strength. She passed away in 2023, but the fight continues. Every save now carries meaning. Every shot stopped is for her, for her dad who stood by her side and for every family touched by this disease.

October Saves makes it possible to give back without stepping away from the game.