When the Carolina Hurricanes hold their annual event at Lenovo Center, team captain Jordan Staal will look up to section 217. There, he will see 12 children and their families enjoying an all-inclusive night at the game. These guests are children battling cancer, invited as part of the Staal Family Foundation’s ongoing efforts.
The tradition began with Eric Staal during his time with the Hurricanes and is now continued by Jordan Staal, who personally purchases each suite for these families. “It’s a great opportunity for a kid who is struggling through a tough time to just be a kid and enjoy themselves,” said Jordan Staal. “It’s just a small thing that our foundation does to hopefully brighten a kid’s day.”
The Staal Family Foundation was established in 2012 after Tamara Stephenson, the sister of Eric’s wife Tanya, died in 2010 following a battle with a rare form of liver cancer. Since its founding, the organization has raised over $5 million to support children and families affected by cancer.
The foundation’s activities extend beyond Raleigh to Thunder Bay, Ontario—home of the Staal family—and other locations. It has contributed funds for equipment at the Cancer Centre at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center and Camp Quality Northwestern Ontario. Other recipients include Smilezone Foundation, George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, Canadian Cancer Society in Northwestern Ontario, and Ronald McDonald House Toronto.
Jordan Staal emphasized how meaningful it is for him and his brothers to host young patients nearly 50 nights each year in Raleigh. “There are a lot of people going through tough times. It gives you thankfulness and gratitude for your health, your family’s health, and the opportunity to go out and play with a healthy body,” he said. “To do it in front of them, and all fans, and give it your all out there for them, there’s no better gig.”
