Scott Hamilton will always be remembered as an Olympic gold medalist.
His legacy also includes the establishment of a place where figure skaters can earn a living from their competitive careers. He created the Stars on Ice tour back in the 1980s.
Hamilton is a survivor of cancer and his foundation (ScottCARES.org) could surpass all his other accomplishments. On Nov. 21, Hamilton's fifth annual Scott Hamilton & Friends event will be held at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. It will focus on fighting Glioblastoma. This is a deadly type of cancer.
The show will include a host of Olympic skaters including champions Katia Goreeva and Ilia Kulik. It will also feature musical stars such as Lady A, Grace Potter and Maren Morris. Cece Winans will be paying tribute to Michael Busbee who died in 2019 from the disease.
Hamilton states that "the statistics are getting worse" for cancer patients. They were trending better, but COVID denied people access to the care they required. It has been a difficult year for those trying to beat cancer.
Glioblastoma was the focus of the show's second-pronged focus. It was inspired by Busbee as well as Scott Williams, an Arkansan who reached Hamilton's organization while he was undergoing treatment.
Hamilton says that Scott heard about me, picked up my book, "The Great Eight", and decided that he wanted help us raise funds for Glioblastoma research. He wanted to ride his bicycle 444 miles along the Natchez Trace Parkway. We wondered, "What in the world?" Scott felt called to this.
Hamilton connected Williams with a fellow cyclist from the organization and they completed the trip on schedule despite encountering obstacles such as a tornado.
Hamilton said that Scott was "bringing us something powerful, and unique." He also noted that donations came from three countries and 27 states. He brought hope to us by bringing us a focus on a type of cancer that has little hope. We were able to see that you can accomplish amazing things with his unwavering hope.
Busbee's family, along with many other artists, were eager to get involved in the concert/skating event. Glioblastoma research will be funded by the Scott Hamilton CARES Foundation. This foundation is dedicated to changing the future for cancer research. It funds innovative, advanced research that can treat the disease while saving the patient.
Hamilton says that he spoke to Jessie, Busbee's wife and suggested that we celebrate Busbee and his music on this show. Hamilton also explained that Hamilton hopes to raise as much money as possible to support research. She said yes and reached out Busbee's musicians so that we could shine a spotlight on him and honor his memory.
"We believe that God-scheduled opportunities are available and we want to do our best for Busbee, Jessie, his family, and his music. We want to make this a positive experience for those with this type of cancer."
Three-time Grammy nominee Potter has a background as a skater and told Hamilton that she would love to be on the ice during rehearsals. He suggested that she might be able to sing while skating.
Performances will include songs from the artist's catalogue and Busbee's broad-ranging music.
Jessie Busbee said, "It was a humble honor to be involved with this year's Cares benefit with Scott Hamilton." "He and his team are champions for cancer research and I believe this year's event has the potential of being a significant marker in the fight against Glioblastoma, the most deadly form of brain cancer. My husband's death and his legacy have opened the door to major advances in the field of glioblastoma treatment and research.
Hamilton promised "a few surprises" at the event. The show is not being televised, but Hamilton would be open to any outlet that might want to broadcast the event.
He says that the Bridgestone Arena will be the only venue where the show will be performed.
