Former Lightning Player Shares Personal Cancer Battle with Moffitt Patients
A former professional hockey player, a loving husband and father, a role model to many young athletes and a cancer survivor. At the age of 60, John Tucker has battled two separate cancer diagnosis.
Tucker was diagnosed with both squamous cell carcinoma and a rare and aggressive salivary gland cancer called carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma. “I had 35 treatments on one and I came back later and had another 35 radiation treatments after that,” Tucker said. “As an athlete I treated it like an injury, and it was just a mindset.”
Tucker joined the Tampa Bay Lightning in the team’s inaugural season in 1992. He played in 600 National Hockey League regular season games throughout his career. During his time with the Lightning, Tucker was viewed as a leader on the ice. He has continued his desire to help others, now as a cancer survivor. “It’s such a close community, cancer survivors, so anytime you can talk to people and help them get through their process I think it’s good to give back,” Tucker said.
Tucker, a Tampa Bay local, visits Moffitt Cancer Center once each year for a checkup appointment, but his visit was very different last weekend. On Sunday, Tucker spoke to patients and staff members at the Magnolia campus as they watched the Bolts face off against the Winnipeg Jets. This was the first time the Lightning partnered with a health care institution to host a watch party at a medical facility.
The former Lightning star had a specific message he wanted to deliver to patients: “Your treatment is hard, but just put your head down, and with the love and support of your family you will get to ring that bell just like I did. The people here at Moffitt are really angels on earth. They take such good care of you.”
“Cancer can impact anyone, including star hockey players,” said Lizette Toro, Moffitt’s Corporate Events and Partnerships Manager. “It was truly inspirational hearing John speak to the crowd. His words of encouragement to our patients and families reminded us that it takes a community to fight cancer. We are very grateful to the Tampa Bay Lightning for their support.”
