Updated Apr. 23, 2009

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - The Yale women's hockey program is getting together to support junior forward Mandi Schwartz (Wilcox, Sask.), who has been diagnosed with leukemia. Special Yale Hockey t-shirts with Schwartz' uniform number, 17, are on sale to raise funds.

Schwartz was diagnosed with leukemia in December at the age of 20. At the time, her streak of 73 straight games played was the longest on the team. She has returned home to Saskatchewan for treatment but remains in touch with the team on a regular basis. Her teammates helped set up a website on CaringBridge, where she provides regular updates on her progress and can receive messages of support. The Bulldogs have shown their support by wearing special bracelets, leaving a space for her when they line up for pregame introductions, wearing stickers with her uniform number on their helmets and in numerous other ways.

Yale's helmets bear a "17" sticker on the lower right in Mandi Schwartz' honor. (photo by Sam Rubin '95, Yale Sports Publicity)

How you can help:

• Read about the Yale Football and Women's Ice Hockey Team's Marrow Donor Drive, and Be Tested as a Marrow Donor
• Make a donation by sending a check payable to "Yale University" to:
  Jennifer O'Neil
  Yale Athletics
  PO Box 208216
  New Haven, CT 06520
  Fans who make a minimum donation of $15 U.S. dollars can also request one of the special "17" t-shirts by including their t-shirt size (price includes shipping and handling).
• Leukemia patients like Mandi depend on blood transfusions during their treatment and can be cured by a bone marrow transplant. Learn more about donating blood and being a bone marrow donor. On her CaringBridge website, Mandi encourages Canadians to visit www.onematch.com. Americans can visit websites such as www.marrow.org.
• Send Mandi a card or letter showing your support:
  Mandi Schwartz
  c/o Allan Blair Cancer Center
  4101 Dewdney Ave.
  Regina, SK, CANADA S4T 7T1

More Information:

• Mandi Schwartz bio page
• New Haven Register: Yale Bulldogs holding donor drive
• Regina Leader-Post: Communities rally around Wilcox hockey player suffering from cancer
• USCHO.com: Weekly Column Features Yale Player's Battle with Cancer
• Yale Daily News: A Hockey Family
• Yale Daily News: 'Pink in Rink' at Ingalls

Yale Sr. Associate Athletics Director Wayne Dean discusses Yale's fundraising plans: