Number of Participants: 25
Hours Donated: 6
Value of Time Served: $1,268
Event Type: Health & Medicine
Sport: Girls Ice Hockey
Date: February 2, 2025
Location:
Westwood High School
Nahatan Street, Westwood
MA
About:
In Westwood, a special bond has formed among a young group of players with strong leadership, creating an undeniable energy on the ice this season.
A Major Success for Hockey Fights Cancer
A major highlight for Westwood this season has been their outstanding success with Hockey Fights Cancer. The team’s dedication to raising awareness and funds for cancer research has been incredible, demonstrating the community’s spirit both on and off the ice.
The event’s roots date back eight years, when Xaverian assistant coach Paul Todesca Jr. teamed up with the school and Canton Ice House to host a Hockey Fights Cancer event in honor of his mother, Reo Todesca, who was battling stage-3b non-squamous cell lung cancer. Sadly, she passed just before the first event, but her memory has inspired the hockey community to keep her legacy alive, making it one of the biggest events each year.
This year, the Boston Junior Terriers and Archbishop Williams joined in the action, as the fundraiser surpassed an impressive $90,000 raised by Saturday.
“To keep her legacy alive and her memory close means the world to me and my family,” said Paul Todesca Jr. “It’s a testament to everyone who’s involved, from the teams to the players and parents. When Coach Chris Cunningham called and moved a home game just to be part of it, it meant a lot.”
All proceeds from the event benefit the Reo Todesca Memorial Foundation, and donations can be made year-round at www.reosfoundation.org/donate.
