Page 35 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 60

34 November 2017 Issue #60 www.sportsenergynews.com

Elizabeth Denis Dessureault Memorial Hockey

Tournament Brings Community Together

By Victoria Klassen Valley lost his wife to lung
cancer on Mother’s Day. Here’s
he first annual Elizabeth
the emotional side of the story—
TDenis Dessureault Memorial when Elizabeth was in the
Hockey Tournament successfully hospital for a while, in the next
raised over $9,000 for Lung bed, was his wife, Judy. They
Cancer Canada. Held from met each other and became
Sept. 29-Oct. 1, this charity
friends. Elizabeth had a leather
event honoured the memory of bracelet she was promoting and
Elizabeth Denis Dessureault.
selling that said ‘Just Breathe’ on
Two years ago, when Elizabeth it, and she took her bracelet off
was teaching in Fort McMurray, and gave it to Judy. When she
recently married, and pregnant got released from the hospital,
with her son Jack, she found out Judy came back with a cross
she had lung cancer. Elizabeth she had purchased for Elizabeth.
had always been a non-smoker This came out at the tournament
and active in sports, captaining that they even knew each other.”
her basketball team at Holy Elizabeth’s family was involved
Trinity Secondary School for with the tournament, doing the
three years.
puck drop, choosing the name of
“She championed a lot of the the tournament, and Elizabeth’s
charities in regard to lung cancer father played on MacDonald’s
Dropping the puck: Louis & Robyn Denis, Matt & Kathleen Denis, Ian
research. It’s one of the most team. Eleven out of the twelve MacInnis and Alex Herrington taking the opening faceoff.

underfunded cancers out there. hockey teams were local. The Photo Submitted
And it seems to be affecting division winners were RayJans
more and more people all of the Construction in the construction
time,” said Dave MacDonald, division, Cornwall Seaway
family friend of the Denis family Blades in the rec division, and
and organizer of the hockey the Green Valley Grizzlies in the
tournament. golden boys’ division.

While she battled her cancer, “The tournament ran like
Elizabeth created a line of “Just a Swiss watch,” MacDonald
Breathe” products with proceeds expressed. “Everyone came
going towards Lung Cancer away with a nice t-shirt with our
Canada. Her blog Lizzie’s logo on it. We had MVP prizes
Lungs (www.fromlizzieslungs. for every team that played. At
com) educated people about lung the end of the tournament we had
cancer and advocated for research hats and trophies for the winning
and funding for the underfunded teams. Our silent auction ended at
disease. In February, at age 27, $2,400. The community support
Elizabeth passed away. and the people who surrounded

“It was very emotional the tournament were wonderful. Cheque presentation was presented on Saturday evening prior to the
tournament,” said MacDonald. We look forward to making this completion of the tournament, from Left: Organizers Dave and Sue
MacDonald, Tournament ambassadors Robyn & Louis Denis.
“A team member from Green an annual event.” Photo Submitted