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Another update on the Deke the Deuce charity campaign

When I started the Deke the Deuce charity drive, one thing that I took into consideration was the sport of hockey and the NHL’s ability to be philanthropic in one way or another. I’ve seen best-intentions, better-welfare fundraising drives. I’ve seen teams and the league step up for the issues and causes that have the widest effects on society. What I hadn’t done was look to see if there was any known NHL player or team doing something in charity’s name toward the disease Neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2). Yes, there are two different types of the genetic disease Neurofibromatosis and seeing this is the second, it’s rarer. Just how far into the sport does NF2 charity work go? The answer is not far at all, at least not publicly from a bit of research through Google.

Right now, even though it’s limited in its reach, Deke the Deuce is the lead story if you search for Neurofibromatosis Type II (the more formal numbering) on Google News while paired with the term “hockey”. Change the number listing from the stately II to 2 and once again, Raw Charge invocations of the term lead the top news… with a follow up about a Christian School student. The sport isn’t part of the article.

There have been hockey fundraisers with NF2 in mind. One happened in November 2014 in Fort Wayne. Minnesota saw a high school tournament at Xcel Energy Center in memory of Zac Bartz who had Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (different version of the disease but worth noting how far this case went).

As I said above, my research is limited and I could likely shuffle through just about every team in the NHL through online searches and come up empty. That doesn’t mean they aren’t involved in this leg of philanthropy (helping fund research or non-profits tied to the disease – either version)… What it does mean is that it’s not been a publicity grabbing event. It also means that Deke the Deuce (and its limited goal of $12,016 for the non-profit entity Advocure NF2) is at the forefront of hockey in online media regarding charity work in the sport for this disease.

Deke the Deuce is not about me directly, it is trying to raise awareness of an affliction I that hits 1 in just about 25,000 and is passed down genetically. While hearing loss is one aspect of the disease that gives it quick attention, so is sensation loss, vision issues and other neurological anomalies from paraplegia to paralysis and death. That’s what tumors growing on nerves will do for a person.

Please consider making a donation to the drive, or perhaps at least share word on the charity campaign.

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