The Connecticut Whale will play its first game since Dec. 19 on Saturday, facing off not only against the Metropolitan Riveters but also against Alzheimer's.
The club has partnered with the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimer's Association to raise money and awareness for the disease that affects roughly 80,000 people in the state.
For some players, this cause is especially important because they see the effects of Alzheimer's firsthand, and they know how vital it is to find new treatments and a cure.
"As a nurse, I work with a lot of patients who have Alzheimer's and dementia," said Connecticut Whale forward Catherine Crawley. "It's a really important cause and it affects a lot of people."
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"I had a grandmother pass away due to Alzheimer's which was very sad," added Connecticut Whale captain Shannon Turner. "More personally and more relevant to every day in my life, I teach English, and we read a novel called The Giver and that was inspired by [author Lois Lowry's] father losing his own memories. It is really great to bring awareness to the disease, especially the younger generations because hopefully they're the ones that are going to find a cure and do research and invest it and help get rid of this awful disease."
The Whale will be wearing special purple jerseys this weekend, which will be auctioned off with the proceeds benefitting the Alzheimer's Association.
