NHLers and Sudbury docs raise $50K for NEO Kids Foundation

It was docs versus jocks at a fundraiser for Sudbury's NEO Kids Foundation at the Countryside Arena yesterday.

Local physicians mixed it up with NHL players and coaches for the event, which raised more than $50,000 for the foundation.

Columbus Blue Jackets captain, and honourary chairman of NEO Kids, Nick Foligno said he didn't realize how important children's hospitals are until his daughter needed life-saving surgery at one in Boston.

"The first time you hear that your daughter has a congenital heart defect, it kind of turns your life upside down," he said.

"I think you realize how important these places are for not only yourself, but for so many people that have so many different reasons to be there."

Sudbury lacking medical infrastructure

Money raised from the event will go towards improving access to care for children in the region, said Dr. Sean Murray, the medical director of NEO Kids.

"What we lack is a lot of the medical infrastructure," he said.

"And more importantly, the human resources to keep kids close to home a lot of the medical conditions are currently going down south and over east up to Ottawa."

Sudbury nativeRandy Carlylethe current head coach of the Anaheim Ducks and former coach of the Toronto MapleLeafs also attended.