He helped defeat the dreaded Russians in the storied Summit Series of 1972 with a goal that has become part a country's mythology, but these days, Canadian hockey icon Paul Henderson is lending his voice and fame to help vanquish a disease that touches us all. 

Henderson helped launch 'Road Hockey To Conquer Cancer' on Tuesday at Dundas Square, on the anniversary of his series winning goal.  

The event, slated for October 1st, 2011 in the parking lots near Ontario Place, aims to be the largest road hockey tournament ever in Canada.  All proceeds will go to Princess Margaret Hospital to fund cancer research and new therapies.

President and CEO of the Princess Margaret Foundation, Paul Alofs, boasts it will be the 'Woodstock of road hockey'.  (Learn more about the event here.)

Henderson, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, posed with his historic Team Canada jersey, which recently sold for $1.2 million, and urged all Canadians to get behind the fight against cancer.

"In November of last year I was diagnosed with cancer, I have chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and when you're full of cancer it's good to be anywhere, and so I'm turning to you guys and saying listen I'm gonna try and stay long enough till you find a cure, so get your arse in gear and do that!"

Henderson explained how important road hockey was to him growing up.

"It's really appropriate that I would be here, I grew up in the little village of Lucknow Ontario, we didn't have artificial ice so most of my hockey was played on the road, and I'll tell you what 60 years ago I was a terror on the road, I loved it. That's basically how I learned how to play hockey."

"It's terrific to be here to kick this off," he added, moments before the ball was dropped on a celebrity road hockey game in the square.  

"We're hoping to raise 10 million for cancer research, what a great country we live in."