Yale student and hockey star Mandi Schwartz, 23, died Sunday following a 27-month long battle with acute myeloid leukemia, reports the Yale Daily News.
Schwartz’s story made headlines this summer when friends, family and teammates rallied to find a bone marrow or stem cell match for her. Through a website devoted to Schwartz's cause and a number of fundraising events, they raised awareness for the disease and resulted in an additional 4,200 names to bone marrow registries throughout Canada and the United States.
According to the Yale Daily News, Schwartz received a stem cell transplant in September 2010, but her cancer returned in December. The next month, she announced that she would not pursue further chemotherapy.
Those who knew Schwartz describe her as a dedicated player and caring friend. In a February interview with the Daily News, former teammate Aleca Hughes called Schwartz an inspiration. “Mandi’s so selfless and positive and always putting others before herself and she’s just always thinking about other people when she’s the one who’s battling through the hardest time,” she said.
According to the International Ice Hockey Federation that Yale will honor Schwartz’s memory with a yearly Mandi Schwartz Marrow Donor Registry Drive.