As Shea Theodore made his way through a room of patients receiving cancer treatment, their faces lit up with excitement. Each and every time, Theodore’s smile mirrored theirs.
The Golden Knights defenseman spent his Thursday afternoon slowly making his way through the hallways of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of Las Vegas, taking time for every patient, nurse, doctor and staff member who approached him. Theodore posed for photos, signed hockey pucks and jerseys with a gold permanent marker and asked each patient about their day before wishing them the best of luck moving forward.
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“Can I have a hug?” one woman asked timidly.
“Of course,” Theodore quickly replied before wrapping his arms around her.
“It’s awesome to be able to connect with people throughout their battles and their journeys,” Theodore said. “They’re the real heroes around here, fighting that fight, and it’s just an honor to be here.”
Theodore visited the center to announce another $50,000 donation by he and the Comprehensive Cancer Center as part of his “Kay’s Power Play” fund that launched in 2020. The fund is named in memory of his grandmother, Kay Darlington, who passed away in June 2020 after several battles with breast cancer.
Kay’s Power Play, created in partnership with the Susan G. Komen Foundation, has already raised nearly $250,000 to help women access breast cancer screening. The program particularly targets uninsured, underinsured and patients under 40 whose mammograms aren’t covered by insurance.
“We are incredibly grateful to Shea and to the Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada for their ongoing support to increase access to screening and diagnostics for this community,” said Megan Klink, regional vice president for the Susan G. Komen Foundation. “Removing barriers to care is such a key part of our mission, and we couldn’t do it without Shea and Kay’s Power Play.”
The battle with cancer unfortunately touches close to home for Theodore in multiple ways. After surviving her initial battle with breast cancer, Darlington was given only weeks to live in 2019 when it returned. At that point, Theodore moved his grandmother to Las Vegas, where she received treatment at Comprehensive Cancer Centers and was able to extend her life until May 2020.
“It was amazing, all the care that she had here,” Theodore said. “I think if you ask anyone who was dealing with her, (they can tell you) how amazing of a person she was.
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“She had a huge influence (on me). It was really special to have her down here, and have her honored at our Hockey Fights Cancer game and drop the opening faceoff puck (in November 2019). The amount that she did for everyone, everyone in the community, my whole family, she was such a special woman.”
Theodore underwent a brief battle with cancer himself, undergoing surgery after testing positive for stage 1 testicular cancer in summer of 2019. He was fortunate to have caught the cancer early on, and has since vowed to help others do the same.
“It’s definitely a scary thing, but it’s something that happens to a lot of people and they push through it,” Theodore said. “People persevere, and it definitely changes your outlook on life. It’s an honor to tell my story and hopefully influence a lot of people to get checked and get screened.”
More photos:
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) September 15, 2022
After signing the check for the $50,000 donation, Theodore helped unveil the new “Mammo Cup” patch that will be given to every patient who completes their annual mammogram at a partnering site. The patch is inspired by patches worn on hockey jerseys to celebrate milestones or accomplishments, and the hope is to incentivize more women to receive screenings.
“The more people who get screened, the more people who get patches, and the more people we can help, so it’s awesome,” Theodore said. “I’ve seen a couple (on jerseys around T-Mobile Arena). Normally I’m on the ice so it’s hard to see them while I’m skating around, but people take pictures and tag me on Twitter, so I see them and that’s always awesome to see.”
Donation of $50,000 and the unveiling of the 2022-23 Mammo Cup Patch, which will be available to all women who get a mammogram breast cancer screening.
— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) September 15, 2022
“It has been incredible to see the positive impact Kay’s Power Play has made thus far,” said Jon Bilstein, executive director of Comprehensive. “Through Susan G. Komen, we plan to reach many, many more women in the coming year.”
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From his genuine chats with every person who approached him in the crowded halls of the facility, to the look in Theodore’s eyes when he spoke of his grandmother at the podium, it’s clear this philanthropic venture means a lot to the 27-year-old defenseman.
“It gives me goosebumps every time I hear her name, and I know how special of a woman she was,” he said. “Just to have this legacy continue means a lot to myself and my family.”
(Top photo of Shea Theodore: Jesse Granger / The Athletic)
