Hockey family continues to give back to Sudbury through Janis Foligno Foundation

Several charities connected to cancer have received a helping handfrom a hockey family in Sudbury, Ont.

On Thursday, the Janis Foligno Foundation presented a number of donations totaling close to $60,000.

Janis Foligno was the wife of former NHL player and coachMike Foligno. They have four children.Nick and Marcus Foligno both currently play for different teams in the NHL. They also have two daughters,Cara and Lisa.

Janis died of cancer in 2009. Marcus was 18 at the time and still living in Sudbury.

After her death thefamily created the foundation in her memory. Through fundraising events the foundation is able to donate money to different charities which focus in some way on cancer.

One of the charities to receive funding this time around is the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC).

The group helps reduce the financial burden for families dealing with a sick child going through cancer treatment.

There is justone staff member, that is NOFCC executive director DaynaCaruso.

She says she was speechlesswhen she got the news the charity was a recipient of $10,000from the JanisFoligno Foundation.

The NOFCCruns 20 programs across northern Ontario for 200 families, Caruso says.

200 families, 20 programs, 1 staff member

"We don't necessarily have all the time in the world to do our fundraising so when we get calls like this it's super exciting for us," says Caruso.

The NOFCCwould have been a charity his mother would have supported, says Marcus.

"My mom loved kids, and especially loved her kids," he says.

"You've seen an adult go through cancer and that's one thing, but when you see a child go through cancer it's devastating. They have so much life to live," says Marcus.

"It helps the family get through their tough times," Marcus says referring to what NOFCC does."It just takes care of their worriesand headaches sothey can just focus on theirkid."

The Foligno Foundation donated $30,000 for a research grant to the Canadian Cancer Society in Sudbury.

Theorganization also gave $10,000 each to the Maison McCullough Hospice and Meals on Wheels, Sudbury.

"It's a great way to give back to the community, in a big way too." Marcus says in regards to the money raised in memory of his mother.

"I woke up this morning with a smile on my face."