‘Survivors’ to join ‘bionic’ players for annual hockey spectacle

On Wednesday 15 December, the annual ‘Bionic Cup’ (sponsored by the Australian Orthopaedic Association), a field hockey match played between knee and hip replacement patients, will for the first time be played alongside the inaugural heart versus cancer ‘Survivors Cup’ (sponsored by the Perth Urology Clinic), forming the Access Cardiology Western Hockey Masters Gala Day, showcasing the wonders of modern medicine.
 
The event which began in 2016 with 15 knee replacement patients playing against 15 hip replacement patients has been such a success that the event has turned into a Gala Day featuring 12 hockey matches, including the inaugural heart vs cancer match, who will compete to hoist the ‘Survivors Cup’.
 
Hockey WA CEO, Fabian Ross, said that it’s fantastic to see key members from WA Masters Hockey celebrate such a fantastic initiative.
 
“We’re really pleased with how this event has grown year after year and it’s fantastic to showcase hockey as a sport that can be played for life,” Ross said.
 
“We have a really strong Masters contingent here in WA, so for them to be able to play in such a spectacle is great for the sport and especially for those competing who have overcome these life-changing surgeries.”
 
President of the AOA, Dr Annette Holian, said that such an event is a celebration of the wonder of movement and provides not only the Australian orthopaedic profession, but the medical profession as a whole, a chance to reflect on the significant contribution that modern medicine and surgical techniques provide thousands of Australians every year.
 
“Being able to enjoy the freedom of movement, let alone undertake sporting endeavors, just wouldn’t be possible without significant advances in prosthesis technology and the improvement of surgical technique over the past 85 years.” Dr Holian said.
 
When: Wednesday, 15^th December 2021
Where: Perth Hockey Stadium at Curtin University
Time: 12:40pm – 7:30pm
Who: The teams include Hips, Knees, Hearts and Cancer, with players having undergone life-changing surgeries, as well as Division A to C teams featuring WA Masters Hockey stalwarts

FIXTURES

12.50pm – 2.00pm – B Division game & warm up. Game to start at 12.50pm.
2.10pm – 3.30pm – Survivors Cup (sponsored by Perth Urology Clinic) - CANCER (sponsored by Genesis Care)  v HEARTS (sponsored by Perth Radiological Clinic) game & warm up. Game to start at 2.20pm.
3.40pm – 5.00pm – Bionic Cup (sponsored by Australian Orthopaedic Association) - HIPS (sponsored by Australian Othopaedic Association) v KNEES (sponsored by Australian Othopaedic Association) game & warm up. Game to start at 3.50pm.
5.10pm – 6.15pm – C Division game & warm up. Game to start at 5.20pm.