A List
4/6/11

'Be The Match' Marrow-Registry Event At SLU Honors Late Yale Player

CANTON - Even though she was a member of an opposing team, members of the St. Lawrence University women's ice hockey team wanted to do something to help Yale player Mandi Schwartz battle leukemia, so they planned an event to encourage enrollment in a national bone-marrow registry. Schwartz passed away on April 3, but to honor her memory, their planned "Be The Match" event will go on at St. Lawrence, on Monday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Winston Room of Sullivan Student Center.

Schwartz, and her fight for life, was profiled in a number of national news outlets as she took time out from her college hockey career to deal with treatments for leukemia. One of her teammates, Aleca Hughes, is a sister to St. Lawrence men's ice hockey player George Hughes '13. Several members of St. Lawrence's women's team became involved in the national effort to register potential donors, in the hopes of finding a match.

During the registration event, participants between the ages of 18 and 60 will be asked for a quick and simple cheek swab, which has the potential to save the life of one of the 16,000 people currently waiting for a bone-marrow transplant.

St. Lawrence Assistant Captain Jamie Goldsmith '13 said, "We are proud to join the ECAC hockey family in honoring Mandi Schwartz." Teammate Nikki Bongaerts '11 added, "Organizing this event to show our support to her family, friends and teammates is the least we can do for someone who made a difference for so many in her life."

Members of the St. Lawrence women's hockey team have worked with Assistant Football Coach Dan Puckhaber and Canton resident Danny Fay to organize fund-raising events aimed at helping the Schwartz family and the Be the Match Foundation defray costs. Victory Promotions has donated t-shirts honoring Schwartz, which volunteers will wear during the April 11 event on campus.

Aleca Hughes has been named a finalist for the 2011 Hockey Humanitarian Award for her efforts to help her friend and teammate. She said, "On behalf of the Yale women's hockey team and the Yale community, I would like to thank St. Lawrence and the women's hockey team for their efforts to honor Mandi's legacy. The power of her spirit and story has traveled far and wide. It is truly inspirational to see so many people donating their time and energy to spread awareness and honor her life."

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St. Lawrence Women's Ice Hockey