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| Image: File Photo. edited by Ai. |
The man who once flew up the ice at Madison Square Garden, hair streaming behind him like a comet, now faces a quieter, more brutal opponent.
Ron Duguay, the former New York Rangers star, has stage 4 colon cancer. Diagnosed in November 2024, the disease started in his colon and spread aggressively. He has already lost his appendix and gallbladder. Chemotherapy nearly shut his body down. Multiple surgeries followed on his liver and colon.
His daughters couldn't watch him shoulder it alone anymore.
They launched a GoFundMe on February 24, 2026. As of late February, it has raised over $96,000 toward a $150,000 goal. The money covers bi-weekly flights from Florida to California, ongoing treatments at City of Hope in Orange County, holistic therapies, supplements, and potential new options abroad.
Duguay himself spoke to Page Six in a raw interview.
“I find it extremely hard asking for funds for all these costs I’m going through,” he said. “Normally, I’m helping others.”
He paused, then added: “Cancer sucks the life out of you, and that it’s so freaking costly.”
From NHL Stardom to Silent Struggle
Ron Duguay was drafted 13th overall by the Rangers in 1977. He jumped straight to the NHL.
Over 864 career games, he scored 274 goals and added 346 assists for 620 points, per Hockey-Reference. His peak came in New York: 40 goals in 1981-82, an All-Star nod, and leading scorer status. Fans still talk about his speed, that famous nine-second goal against Philadelphia, and the electric 1979 Stanley Cup Finals run.
After hockey, he stayed connected—MSG analyst, co-host of the “Up in the Blue Seats” podcast.
Then symptoms hit while gardening at Sarah Palin's Alaska home. The diagnosis followed.
Treatment Path: Aggressive and Expensive
Duguay started chemo in Florida. It failed. His body crashed. Doctors removed his appendix and gallbladder amid complications.
His family moved him to City of Hope in Orange County under Dr. Pashtoon Kasi and Dr. Yuman Fong. Major liver and colon surgeries stabilized him. The team has been hands-on, compassionate.
He flies back and forth every two weeks.
Holistic approaches supplement care: antioxidant water, blood ozone therapy, IV vitamin drips, even ivermectin and methylene blue, as family updates describe.
Cancer markers spiked again recently. Radiation happened. A hopeful note: acceptance into a new medical trial targeting T cells to fight the cancer better, per family comments to media.
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The Reluctant Ask—and Sarah Palin's Steady Presence
Duguay never wanted this public.
“Our dad has never been someone who asks for help…especially when it comes to money,” his daughters Shay Thomas and Amber Stavros wrote on GoFundMe. “He has always tried to handle everything on his own and didn’t want to burden anyone else.”
But they saw the toll. Travel. Bills. The sheer exhaustion.
Sarah Palin, his partner since 2022, has been there. A video shared by Shay shows her spoon-feeding him in the hospital bed. Another photo captures them smiling side by side.
Quiet strength in tough moments.
The Human Side Breaks Through
He’s been close to death a few times.
That’s not polished. It’s real.
The hockey community rallies quietly. Former teammates message support. Fans share stories.
Duguay wants to turn this around—to share what he learns, to help others someday.
For now, the next steps hang on upcoming scans and trial results.
The fight continues.
What does real courage look like when the spotlight fades? How far would you go for someone who once gave everything on the ice? And when medical costs overwhelm even the strongest, what role does community play?
If this hits home, consider donating or sharing the GoFundMe. Every bit keeps the door open.
Also read: Why Is Colon Cancer Becoming the Leading Killer of Young Adults?
