UMD Women Host Important Series, Look to Help One of Their Own

Back in Duluth, the UMD women's hockey team will host a very special night on Friday. The series that opens against Ohio State is critical for the Bulldogs' chances at home ice in the WCHA playoffs next weekend, but that's not the most important thing happening at the rink.

Julianne "Montana" Vasichek was a two-time All-American as a player at UMD (the nickname works because she is from Great Falls, Mont.). Now the hockey equipment manager and strength and conditioning coach for the women's team, Vasichek is battling a serious illness. The Bulldog program is trying to help.

Vasichek was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis back in 2002, while she was still playing for UMD. If that wasn't bad enough, she was hit with a diagnosis of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) five years later.

PSC is a very rare disease that affects the liver. Vasichek has undergone multiple procedures to open her bile ducts and place stents (they're called ECRPs, she says she's had around 12-15 of them total). Thankfully, she isn't on the list for a liver transplant because her score is too low. We hope it stays that way.

Many aren't so fortunate.

According to statistics available for December through LifeSources, there were 546 people awaiting liver transplants in the local region (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota) and 15,465 awaiting liver transplants nationally.  Contrast those statistics with only 118 liver transplants performed regionally in 2013, and the numbers show that about 21 people died waiting for a transplant every day.  Vasichek also points out that every 10 minutes, a person is added to the national transplant list, proving how great the need is for awareness of organ donation.

That leads us to this weekend. Vasichek's passion is multi-fold at this point. She wants to raise awareness of PSC and help raise money for research. Vasichek also wants to help get more people registered to be organ and tissue donors.

"I am not really the type of person to sit around and wait for something to happen, I like to make things happen and be involved in the process," she said. "While playing hockey at UMD, I had the opportunity to learn leadership and problem solving skills from great leaders, coaches and teammates that I played with. When I was first diagnosed with PSC and after a short period of adjustment to a life with a new chronic disease, I felt like I wanted to contribute to a solution for myself and hopefully many others."

On Friday, the Bulldogs are asking fans to help by donating to any of a number of great organizations.

If you're going to the games, you can get more information on how to help at Amsoil Arena. If not, here's a list:

PSC Partners Seeking a Cure
www.pscpartners.org

LifeSource (will have a table and representative at the event)

http://www.life-source.org/

United Network for Organ Sharing

http://www.unos.org/index.php

Donor Dudes (sent green sunglasses for the team)

http://www.chrisklugfoundation.org/index.php/donor-dudes

BetheMatch (will be setting up swabbing to add people to bone marrow transplant list)

http://bethematch.org/

 

Also, Vasichek is doing a fundraiser for PSC Partners that you can contribute to here.

Even hit by a splitting headache, Vasichek was in a good mood at the rink Wednesday. She's always in a good mood at the rink. This is a great cause, and we're all pulling for "Montana" as she continues her battle.

UMD and Defending the Blue Line Combine for Cool Event

I know it's still a couple weeks away, but I wanted to let you know about a cool event that will be taking place on Veteran's Day during the UMD-Alaska-Anchorage men's hockey game.

For the details, I call on this press release from Defending the Blue Line, a group whose mission is to help offset the cost of playing hockey for the families of military members from all branches.

Defending the Blue Line (DTBL) is proud to announce that the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Men’s Hockey team will wear camouflage jerseys during warm-ups on Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2011 before their WCHA matchup against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. The sweaters will then be autographed by the players and auctioned off to benefit the Stauber Brothers hockey camp for military kids in the Duluth area.

Per NCAA rules, the sweaters will not include player names, however they will be numbered and unique to that player. Sweaters will be auctioned off during the game at Amsoil Arena, with bidding closing at the beginning of the third period. Opening bid for each sweater will be $150 (USD).

Defending The Blue Line is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created by a group of National Guard soldiers in Minnesota. The charity assists families of all branches of the military with costs associated with hockey. They provide financial assistance for registration fees, free equipment, summer hockey camps, and sending many deserving families down to Xcel Energy Center for a night of fun at a Minnesota Wild game.

Defending The Blue Line is excited for this opportunity to further help military families and celebrate the service of our military heroes. Keeping the kids of military families focused and active in hockey is a great way to help keep their minds off of a parent’s upcoming deployment. 

DTBL is a charity championed by the late Derek Boogaard during his NHL career, and it is currently endorsed by NHL players Matt Hendricks (Washington), Josh Harding (Minnesota), and Brent Burns (San Jose), among others.

For more information on their work, check out their website.

Please Support Chris Garner

Many UMD hockey fans have probably heard about this by now, but I want to pass it along for those who have not.

Chris Garner is the Bulldogs' equipment manager. He works tirelessly to make sure the team is properly outfitted, and he spends game days preparing everything so it's ready when the guys arrive at the rink.

Oh, and did I mention that the above information grossly oversimplifies his job?

Garner is battling a very serious disease called MDS (Myelodysplatic Syndrome). It was once known as pre-leukemia.

He underwent chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and had a bone-marrow transplant last week. As he recovers, he will be missing work (obviously), and this treatment is hardly cheap.

As a result, fundraising efforts are underway to help Garner out. This will include an online auction.

If you have Facebook, and you haven't already, please take a moment to visit a page set up to provide information on how you can help. You can also send a message to Chris if you'd like.

If you are one of the 388 people around the world who doesn't yet have Facebook, here is the information:

Donated items and cash can be sent to:
St. Cloud State University
Attention: Jeremiah Minkel
720 4th Avenue South
St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498

Please make checks out to "C/O Chris Garner"

Cards and letters of support can be mailed to:
Chris Garner
1765 10th Ave. SE
Rochester, MN 55904

We hope to get more good news about Chris' health, and he continues to be in our thoughts and prayers as he recovers.

UMD Goes Pink This Weekend

This comes from UMD. Not only is it the school's annual Homecoming this weekend, but they're also taking time to raise money for a worthy cause.

Here is the press release:

In the sea of maroon and gold UMD Homecoming Festivities this weekend, you’ll also find PINK! This Saturday (Oct. 17), the University of Minnesota Duluth volleyball team is sponsoring the “Dig for the Cure!” event designed to support the search for a cure for breast cancer, in recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Activities include a silent auction. The event will take place when the Bulldogs take on Northern State at 4:00 p.m. on the hardwood of Romano Gymnasium. Fans are encouraged to show their support by wearing pink clothing as part of the event and UMD students will be admitted free of charge by presenting their student identification cards.

UMD Stores raised $2000 last season for the St. Luke's Breast Center thorugh the sale of pink ribbon UMD hats, commemorative pink ribbon tees, and pink hockey jerseys. UMD Stores director, Jeff Romano, will present the check on Saturday, October 17th at 4pm, at the "Dig for the Cure" event prior to the UMD volleyball game at Romano Gym.

Last year’s fundraising event was so successful, that we’re doing it again! October is breast cancer awareness month, and UMD Stores will donate $4 from the purchase of each new commemorative pink ribbon Minnesota Duluth tee, $20 from the purchase of each pink hockey jersey, and 1/2 the purchase price of each pink ribbon hat, to the St. Luke's Regional Breast Center in Duluth.

NEW DESIGN!
Minnesota Duluth Pink Ribbon Tee -- $9.99
UMD Pink Ribbon cap -- $16.99
UMD Bulldogs Pink Hockey Jerseys: youth, $84.99 -- adult, $94.99

We'll be checking in next from the rink, preparing for UMD and Minnesota State in the WCHA opener. Word on the street is that defenseman Trent Palm may be making an early return from hip surgery this weekend. His presence would be a welcome jolt of experience on a rather young blue line.