My battle with Hodgkin’s disease in 1993 made me realize how fragile life can be. It also helped me see how fortunate I am to be involved with the greatest game in the world and celebrate three Stanley Cup Championships.

But I know there are many people who are not as fortunate as I am. That is why the Mario Lemieux Foundation continues to be important to me, and why I devote time to raising funds for the Foundation, so we can continue to support important cancer research and other worthy causes.

Since I created the Lemieux Foundation in 1993, we have awarded several grants, including a five million dollar gift to University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to establish the Mario Lemieux Centers for Patient Care and Research.  We also provided a three million dollar gift to the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute to establish the Mario Lemieux Center for Blood Cancers, which will open at the end of 2012.  This is a new opportunity for my Foundation to focus on patient care for those experiencing the same things I did during my journey with Hodgkin’s disease, and I am very pleased to be a part of creating this new facility.

I would like to thank the Foundation’s Board of Directors for its guidance and dedication. The Lemieux Foundation is not a short-term project, but a life-long opportunity for me to give hope to patients and families facing what I know is a frightening battle.

I hope you will decide to assist the Lemieux Foundation now and in the future. There are many opportunities for you to participate, and your contributions will help us move ever closer to our ultimate goal: a cure for cancer.