Bruins Name Beth Israel Lahey Health Official Healthcare Partner

The Boston Bruins have signed a multi-year partnership with Beth Israel Lahey Health, naming the New England health system the team's Official Healthcare Partner, the club announced Thursday.

Under the agreement, BILH becomes presenting sponsor of the Bruins' annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night, the league-wide initiative built around cancer research fundraising and fan education on cancer risks.

The agreement is aimed at community programming. The two sides plan youth hockey clinics in communities served by BILH locations, and BILH will support and help expand the Bruins' Learn to Play program, which introduces children ages 5 to 9 to the game. Families in that program receive a full set of equipment, including skates with personalized fittings, plus four weeks of on-ice instruction from certified coaches and Bruins alumni.

The partnership also covers hospital and event visits across BILH sites, with current players and coaches, alumni and mascot Blades scheduled to meet staff and patients.

"Through this multi-year partnership with BILH, we're looking forward to leveraging our combined expertise to create a positive impact in the communities we serve through meaningful programming, raising health and wellness awareness and recognizing the providers and caretakers on the frontline every day," Bruins executive vice president and chief operating officer Glen Thornborough said.

BILH president and CEO Kevin Tabb framed it the same way. "Together, we will work to engage patients and their families through health education and other local initiatives to help create healthier communities, one person at a time," he said.

BILH is one of the largest health systems in New England, serving 2.1 million patients across eastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire through 14 hospitals, more than 100 primary care practices, and a network of ambulatory, behavioral health and urgent care sites.

Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.