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Washington Capitals Players Participate in Hockey Fights Cancer Flashes of Hope Photo Shoot

October 17, 2011

As part of the NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer month, Capitals left wing Jason Chimera and center Brooks Laich participated in a Flashes of Hope photo shoot at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Oct. 14. The Capitals treated 10 Flashes of Hope patients and their families to lunch as they watched the team practice from the balcony above the rink.

After practice the families participated in a hockey-themed Flashes of Hope photo shoot during which they were able to wear Capitals jerseys, gloves, shoulder pads, hockey pants and helmets. Chimera and Laich then joined the shoot, posing for photos with the patients and their families.

“It’s great to be able to put smiles on the faces of these kids,” said Chimera. “We admire their spirit and strength and we were happy to be a part of this photo shoot today.”

This October the Capitals are partnering with Flashes of Hope for Hockey Fights Cancer. Washington Capitals Charities donated $5,000 to the charity to fund the Washington, D.C., chapter for the 2011-12 season, and directed another $5,000 to Flashes of Hope from the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer fund. Flashes of Hope will also be the beneficiary of the team’s jersey auction held at the Caps game against the Detroit Red Wings on Oct. 22.

Flashes of Hope is a nonprofit organization that changes the way children with cancer and other life threatening illnesses see themselves through the gift of photography and raises money for pediatric cancer research. Washington Capitals Charities has funded the Flashes of Hope chapter in Washington, D.C., for the past two years.

Last year Chimera participated in a Flashes of Hope photo shoot on the Hematology/Oncology Care Unit at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

The Flashes of Hope portraits, taken by award-winning photographers, help children feel better about their changing appearance by celebrating it. For families of terminally ill children, it's especially important to have a portrait that preserves forever the beauty, grace and dignity of their child. The goal of Flashes of Hope is to photograph every child until every child is cured.

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