Young fan shares story about how the Ducks, Rakell helped her with her battle with cancer

BarDown Staff

Katie Hawley and Rickard Rakell , Twitter/AnaheimDucks

The Anaheim Ducks will open their 2017-18 season at home against the Arizona Coyotes on Thursday night and they’re going to have an extra player on their opening night roster.

Known as the “21st Duck” initiative, the team creates a spot on their opening night roster for a special fan who exhibits great character, perseverance, courage, and inspiration, and the team unveiled this year’s “21st Duck” on Wednesday afternoon.

Katie Hawley, diagnosed with cancer a third time, told her parents she wanted to give up.

She says @RickyRakell93 helped her fight again. pic.twitter.com/edoMr9b5fx
— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) October 4, 2017

17-year-old Katie Hawley has been diagnosed with cancer three different times and has been fighting cancer since she was nine-years-old. After going through a dozen surgeries, dozens of chemotherapy sessions, 30 radiation treatments, 80 scans, and 40 blood transfusions, Katie started to lose hope and felt like giving up. However, after attending a game with her family in 2016, Katie found a will to keep on fighting thanks to Rickard Rakell and the Anaheim Ducks, and is now inspiring others to keep on fighting.

Katie Hawley, despite fighting cancer for a third time, is helping inspire others through the @jessiereesfoundation. Her story is a must-watch. Get the link in our bio!

A post shared by Anaheim Ducks (@anaheimducks) on Oct 4, 2017 at 11:24am PDT

Katie will be introduced ahead of the team’s season opener on Thursday night and will most likely get the loudest ovation out of everyone on the team’s roster.

(H/T Twitter/AnaheimDucks)