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I just returned from a rather unusual vacation involving three one-way flights.

For once, I put work completely on hold and instead of writing during take off on the first leg, I thumbed through the airline magazine. I reached page 20 as the plane lifted off the ground and paused to quiz my young traveling companion on number recognition, for the ad on the opposite page advertised some sort of sixth (displayed as “6th”) annual event.

Nicky's Week, named after a Scottsdale Catholic school student, ends Saturday. (Image from RA Sushi Bar & Restaurant website).

Thanks to some incorrect guesses on the number — color answers came out instead — I happened to read the rest of the ad. Lo and behold, I recognized the ad’s photo from an article a co-worker wrote during my early days at The Catholic Sun.

I read the short verbiage just to confirm that it indeed was Nicky Mailliard, a former Pope John XXIII student in the photo. He lost a four-year battle with brain cancer in 2005 and we published the same courtesy photo used in the ad.

Turns out I had all but forgotten about the annual Nicky’s Week (May 30-June 5 this year). RA Sushi bar and restaurant — Mailliard’s uncle is among its founders — will donate all proceeds from the sale of select menu items to fund cancer research and treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. There’s a host of other sponsors for the event and diners can find their nearest RA Sushi in Arizona, on both coasts and six other states in between.

So, if you’re in the mood for sushi and would like to support a much-needed charity while you’re at it, head to RA Sushi by Saturday. Select menu items will feed your body as well as feed the “kitty” aiding St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

That’s a kitty that Phoenix Catholics may want to beef up. Ethan Mills, a local Catholic recently held a big,  ‘phat’ going-away party as the 19-year-old nears the end of his second fight with cancer.