‘Hockey Fights Cancer’ treats cancer survivor to star-studded, in-person Avs meet and greet

DENVER — Retired pediatrician Max Elliott was used to taking care of his patients, but during the pandemic, when he was diagnosed with a rare blood cancer, he learned he needed specialized care. 

Elliott found himself fighting Myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, a rare group of blood cancers that occur when the bone marrow produces too few healthy blood cells. 

Suddenly, he was Patient #7 in a UCHealth clinical trial in an effort to save his life. He said his family got him through all the bad days and his son became his stem cell donor.

“I think I’m really good at taking care of other people as a pediatrician but taking care of myself I’m not so good,” said Elliott. “So, I had to rely on my family and (wife) Judy got me through lots of different times after the transplant, I wouldn’t eat, I wouldn’t drink. I became stubborn.”

Elliott’s doctors were transparent about what his future fighting this disease would look like. “He told me I probably had less than a year unless I got good treatment, so that was a little scary,” he said.  

He showed 9NEWS family moments captured in pictures. “We went to a dude ranch up by Turkey Park Ranch up by Red Feather Lakes and we got all of us together,” said Elliott. The picture was a Christmas card moment. Elliott explained to us that the memory is so much sweeter because it was a time with no internet. 

The front of the Christmas card reads, “Stem cell donor and stem cell recipient.” 

“That was me,” said Elliott. “I said life is very good. That was a very special trip.”

Elliott explained to 9NEWS that he lives for these moments. “I loved my family before this, but I love them even more after this,” he said. 

He spent a year and a half fighting the rare blood cancer. He said he’s still here because of the doctors at UCHealth and he’s now cancer-free and able to create new, exciting memories and moments. 

That’s where a special meet-and-greet with the members of the Colorado Avalanche, who support the V Foundation which funded Elliott’s clinical trial.

“They took us to the locker room and I happened to be wearing a Makar jersey, Cale Makar jersey and we’re in the locker room and all of a sudden, who walks in Cale! and I went right up to him and I was just flabbergasted — he sat down with us for a pic and then he signed my Makar jersey.” 

He admitted the jersey belonged to his grandson, who joked that he may not get it back. 

One by one, Elliott met the members of the celebrated Stanley Cup team. 

“Nathan (MacKinnon) walks in and says, ‘I’m Nathan.’ I said, ‘We know who you are.'” Just to have another player introduce himself to Elliott and say, “I’m Gabe (Landeskog).” 

Star Avalanche players who took the time for Patient #7. 

“You see his face and he’s like, ‘Oh, my gosh,'” said Judy as she looked back at the pictures they snapped inside the Avs’ locker room. 

Another Christmas card moment captured on film for a husband, dad and grandfather — grateful for family, doctors and the hometown hockey team’s tremendous support for cancer survivors.