Born and raised in Aldergrove, current NHL defenceman for the Las Vegas Golden Knights Shea Theodore, battled the San Jose Sharks in a special 含羞草研究社淗ockey Fights Cancer含羞草研究社� match Thursday night.

Theodore含羞草研究社檚 own brush with the disease after a failed drug test this summer sparked the game含羞草研究社檚 dedication. It was heightened hCG hormone levels that alerted doctors to testicular cancer.

It was the team含羞草研究社檚 third game this season against the Sharks 含羞草研究社� only this time, during pre-game warm-up Las Vegas players donned purple jerseys that were auctioned off with proceeds going towards early cancer detection.

含羞草研究社淭he fact that I found out early was the biggest key, and that含羞草研究社檚 what I含羞草研究社檓 trying to push,含羞草研究社� Theodore said in a recent Golden Knights含羞草研究社� interview.

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Theodore, now a survivor, continues to battle the stigma surrounding men含羞草研究社檚 testicular health both on and off the ice.

He含羞草研究社檚 accompanied in the fight against cancer by another member of his family, his grandmother Kay Darlington.

The Theodore family, from Langley, recently found out that Darlington 含羞草研究社� whose lived in Mexico for the past few decades 含羞草研究社� is battling stage-four breast cancer, for the second time.

含羞草研究社淭he treatment she underwent in Mexico wasn含羞草研究社檛 working,含羞草研究社� explained Theodore含羞草研究社檚 older sister Alyssa, also an avid hockey player.

It didn含羞草研究社檛 take long for the family, with the help of Golden Knights management, to rush Darlington to the aid of a specialized cancer centre near Theodore in Las Vegas.

含羞草研究社淭hey flew her and my mother in on a private jet from Mexico to Las Vegas含羞草研究社� almost as soon as they heard the cancer had spread, Alyssa elaborated.

含羞草研究社淪he has a lot of life in her,含羞草研究社� she added.

The team even asked the grandmother to drop the puck at the Nov 21. game含羞草研究社檚 ceremonial face-off at a packed T-Mobile arena.

含羞草研究社淲hen they reached out to her she had a couple of tears in her eye,含羞草研究社� Theodore admitted.

Theodore escorted Darlington out onto center ice in her purple jersey. She dropped the puck amidst a sea of cell phone lights and a roar of arena applause.

含羞草研究社淪hea Theodore doesn含羞草研究社檛 normally take faceoffs, but he took one tonight. And it was one he含羞草研究社檒l never forget,含羞草研究社� the Golden Knights posted to Twitter.

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The grandmother will soon undergo chemotherapy in her and her family含羞草研究社檚 continued efforts to conquer the disease.

During the game, the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation presented a $75,000 check to pediatric cancer organizations.

Audience members took the opportunity to fill out 含羞草研究社淚 fight for含羞草研究社� purple signs in support of their loved ones, and others, irreversibly impacted by cancer.

Las Vegas defenceman Jon Merrill held up an 含羞草研究社淚 fight for含羞草研究社� purple sign that read Theodore含羞草研究社檚 name.

Other teammates jotted down the name of their parents, friends, and others.

The Sharks beat the Golden Knights 2-1 in overtime.

The Vegas Golden Knights Foundation donated $75,000 to pediatric cancer charities in Nevada tonight!!

含羞草研究社� Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights)