NFL Crucial Catch
Join us this October and together, we can make life better for people facing cancer.
These funds support a national compassionate support system that provides care, comfort and connection to people living with cancer and their caregivers when they need it most such as reliable cancer information, rides to treatment or a place to stay for those who need to travel for treatment.
Just like in football, Canadians living with cancer need support from a team. Funds raised through NFL Crucial Catch provide a support system for people with cancer and their families to ensure no one faces cancer alone. Your contribution has never been more important.
Honouring Ryan’s Legacy Through Football, Family and Hope
When Ryan ‘Diesel’ Forbes was diagnosed with a rare cancer in 2018, his daughter Lola was just three years old. For the next five years, Ryan’s journey was marked not only by treatments and challenges, but also by joy, adventure, and the determination to make every moment with his family count.
“Ryan had this incredible ability to focus on what mattered most,” recalls his wife Julia Forbes. “Even between chemo and surgeries, we vowed to keep living life, doing the things we loved, and making every day count. Some of our most cherished memories are tied to sport, especially football.”
Ryan was a devoted Detroit Lions fan since he was a kid— known for wearing his favourite Lions hoodie or toque every Sunday. He passed his passion on to Julia and Lola. “Lola grew up rooting for the Lions from the time she was a baby,” Julia says with a smile. “She even knows most of the players and rules already.”
During Crucial Catch month, the Canadian Cancer Society and the NFL are proud to share the Forbes family’s story — one that reflects resilience, the healing power of sport, and the hope that drives us all.
