Lakeshore girls hockey team helps spark $400K cancer research investment

A youth hockey team’s season-long mission of good deeds has helped bring together a $400,000 investment in local cancer research, marking a first-of-its-kind funding partnership for the Windsor-Essex region.

The U11 Lakeshore Lightning girls hockey team earned a national win in the Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup, securing a $100,000 charitable award. The team chose to direct the prize to the Cancer Research Collaboration Fund (CRCF) to support cancer research through the WE-SPARK Health Institute.

Their donation builds on momentum created by Carson Woodall, whose youth-led “Woody’s Hoodies” campaign has raised $57,000 in recent years. CRCF topped up the youth contributions to reach $200,000, which the Cancer Research Society then matched dollar-for-dollar, bringing the total investment to $400,000.

The announcement was made Wednesday night at the Atlas Tube Recreation Centre, where players, families, researchers and community partners gathered to celebrate what organizers called a milestone for homegrown scientific discovery.

“This investment strengthens our region’s leadership in cancer research,” said Dr. Dora Cavallo-Medved, interim director of WE-SPARK Health Institute. “We are proud to build on the remarkable commitment shown by our community and philanthropic partners.”

The funding will support three Windsor-Essex cancer research projects, including one led by Dr. Munir Rahim, an associate professor at the University of Windsor. His study examines how cancer cells evade the immune system with the goal of improving future treatments.

“The entire research that we do depends on the funding we receive, and this is going to make a big difference,” Rahim told CTV News. “It’s amazing to receive this support from the community… and the impact that they make on our research work, and hopefully in future for cancer patients.”

Representatives from the Cancer Research Society said the partnership reflects confidence in the region’s research capacity.

“By matching the generous funds raised locally, we can support promising research like Dr. Rahim’s and help transform these discoveries into real hope for patients and their families,” said Dr. Dajan O’Donnell, the society’s director of scientific affairs and partnerships.

For the young athletes who helped drive the initiative, the motivation was simple.

“I think this is amazing. My team is amazing,” said Lauren Meadows, one of the Lakeshore Lightning players. “We chose Play for a Cure and WE-SPARK because we thought it would make a really big difference. I hope we can cure cancer… nobody deserves to have cancer.”

Play for a Cure event director Jeff Casey said the hockey community has repeatedly shown its ability to rally around the cause.

“We’re standing up to cancer — to steal the NHL message,” he said. “We’re trying to create better health outcomes for our community.”

Casey said the organization has now surpassed $2.3 million in net fundraising, driven by youth-led initiatives and local partners.

“This shows what can happen when our community comes together to support an important cause,” he said.

The Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup encourages U10 to U15 minor hockey teams nationwide to complete acts of service in their communities, with the winning team earning a substantial charitable donation.