Islanders captain Anders Lee hosts 4th Kancer Jam to benefit The Jam Kancer In The Kan Foundation
Anders Lee of the Islanders jokes with Jamey Crimmins during the Kancer Jam fundraiser on Saturday in East Meadow. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Amy McGlynn, with an Islanders bandana covering her head, sported a broad smile as she watched her friends participate in Islanders captain Anders Lee’s Kancer Jam at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow on Saturday.
The Smithtown resident, describing herself as “happily” 41, recounted why this was one of her better weeks since being diagnosed with lymphoma on July 19, 2021.
“I just had stable scans for the first time last week,” McGlynn said. “What helped me get through that is they made an exception to allow me to come here to cheer on my friends. It helped with the anxiety with all the scans. I had chemotherapy on Thursday, also. I knew I had this to look forward to.”
Lee hosted his fourth Kancer Jam — but first since 2019 because of the COVID-19 pandemic — to benefit The Jam Kancer in the Kan Foundation, raising funds for families affected by cancer. A majority of Lee’s teammates volunteered to play in the charity Kan Jam tournament.
Jamey Crimmins, who helped organize the inaugural Jam Kancer in the Kan event in 2014 and now works on events with Lee and other NHLers such as Kevin Shattenkirk, Zach Bogosian and Ryan McDonagh, said Saturday’s event raised $135,000, with approximately 150 people attending. That pushes the fundraising total since 2017 — when Lee hosted his first event — to more than $2.2 million.
“Everybody says hockey guys are the best,” said Crimmins, who lives in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. “But it’s not fair to [the Islanders] because they’re better than even that. Top to bottom, ownership is supporting us, everybody is supporting us.”
“Just being able to bring it back after having a few years off, being able to do it here at the rink, it’s just an exciting day,” said Lee, who hosted his first three events at Barclays Center in Brooklyn after Islanders games. “I’m really excited to get this going again and being able to hang out with some kids and families today and extend that throughout the season.”
About two weeks ago, Crimmins extended an invitation to McGlynn — a lifelong Islanders fan whose grandparents first bought season tickets in 1973 and who was photographed sitting in the Stanley Cup when she was 2 — thanks to her parents’ friendship with former Islander Ray Ferraro.
McGlynn wants to repay the favor once she regains her stamina.
“I actually hope to, once I beat the cancer, volunteer with them,” McGlynn said. “I know they do a lot for little kids. I’m an adult. I’ve lived, let’s say the good years. I got all my kid stuff fun in. I just feel awful for kids that are facing it. I couldn’t imagine being a kid and facing this. It’s so hard and so scary.”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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