What happens when you combine pro hockey players and ping-pong? Smashfest®

Both of these causes are under-represented. We like to think of ourselves as being in the corner of the causes that don’t otherwise have much support.

Rare cancers make up a significant portion of cancer cases, but they’re not small. They’re affecting a lot of people. Unfortunately, it’s hard to get the funding, research and data together to make progress on these smaller cancers. We focus on promoting collaborative initiatives that bring different entities together to share knowledge and data.

When it comes to concussions – obviously they are a hockey-related injury. But, so many adults and children are affected outside of the sport. And, it’s not just concussions that our research is supporting. There are applications to this kind of brain science that can help with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

Awareness has grown for both of these causes and continues to do so. I’d like to think Smashfest ^® has been a small part of that.

"Smashfest ^® is in its seventh year and it’s flown by! We weren’t really sure how the quirky idea of ping-pong would be received – but everyone came away saying “Wow! What a great event!” and wanting to come back We’ve worked really hard each year with the help of the NHLPA and sponsors such as Sonnet to grow the event. Having strong supporters of the causes, fans of table tennis and the players have really helped increase the profile of the event year over year. Since 2011, we’ve raised around $865,000 for our causes – something that we’re really proud of."

"Our support is focused on two primary projects right now.

The first is a collaboration with the Broad Institute in Boston, which is committed to collaborative research on rare cancers (among other medical challenges). We’ve funded an initiative with them to collect tissue from rare cancel patients across North America and turn that into meaningful data. This data is then made accessible to anyone and can be used as a platform for further research.

Secondly, we announced this year, a project with Dr. Brown of the University of Western in Ontario. Dr. Brown is one of the foremost experts in the field of concussions and has a history of support from the NHLPA and other players like Eric Lindros. Our initiative looks at tau – an important brain protein. We believe learning more about tau is one of the keys to unlocking the root causes of traumatic brain injury."

"Wow! There are a lot of good memories. I think one of the most special moments is walking into the main hall at Steam Whistle Brewery and seeing the transformation of the space. The first year, especially – but even every year after – it’s one part of the event that I really enjoy. We work long hours all year leading up to the event, and seeing it all come together is a really cool moment."

"I think that’s pretty obvious… four-time defending champion, Patrick Eaves. He takes it very seriously. He’s got a private coach and trains intensively to defend his title every year. I think if he wanted to, he could go pro in table tennis. Although, I have full respect for how good the pros are at this sport - they’re next level. But these players that take it seriously are no slouches…"

"I’d encourage everyone to visit our website www.smashfest.ca. Not only can you watch videos from the event and related stories but we also give updates on the impact that we’ve had. We appreciate a follow on our social channels and helping us spread the word. Of course, there is always the option to donate on the website for those that are interested. Hopefully, we’ll see you at Smashfest ^® VIII!"