WESTLOCK – Westlock’s Cecily Eklund, aptly dubbed a ‘cancer warrior’ as the nine-year-old has beaten brain tumours and raised close to $100,000 for charities like the Kids with Cancer Society over the past handful of years, was featured in a second period intermission interview during the Edmonton Oilers’ Feb. 15 game versus the Detroit Red Wings.
Seated between Gene Principe, who’s the host of Edmonton Oilers broadcasts on Sportsnet, and Oilers star forward Evander Kane, Eklund was all smiles during the three-minute interview which highlighted her amazing fundraising efforts and budding friendship with No. 91. Diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2019 when she was six, Cecily underwent successful surgery in 2020 and has been on mission to raise support and awareness for the cause since.
The two first met in the press box of a recent game while Kane was recovering from the freak injury in Tampa Bay when his wrist was lacerated as there “was a cute little girl that wanted to meet me and I was more than happy to do so.”
“She actually had a gift for me too, and I was honestly caught off guard and she had a couple of (stuffed doll) puppies for my kids and I thought that was sweet, so I invited her down after the game and made sure I gave her a gift back, which was a jersey,” said Kane, who also received a special patch from Cecily that reads “scars are tattoos with better stories.”
Then on Jan. 17, Kane took to the ice with Cecily for a special, one-on-one skate at Rogers Place and has also donated to Cecily's newest fundraiser for the Ben Stelter Fund.
“When I first met her, it was incredible because I was just so impressed hearing about all the things she’s done. Just the thought process for somebody her age going through some of the things she’s went through just speaks to how special people are and kids like her are … what a wonderful person to be around,” said Kane.
Cecily's fundraising started with selling weighted dolls and stuffed dogs for kids in hospitals, which she made herself and were safe for kids to take into MRI machines. Over the last three years, she's also held a toy drive, fundraised with the Edmonton Police Foundation, and also sells "Fight Like a Kid" patches on her Instagram account — the Westlock area has also shown tremendous support for Cecily as she was most recently lauded last August at the Hallywood Jamboree.
“You don’t have to be rich, you don’t have to be super smart, you just have to be kind,” said Cecily when asked by Principe on her life motto.
