Yale’s women’s ice hockey team will recognize junior forward Mandi Schwartz at the annual ECAC Hockey “Pink at the Rink” cancer fund-raiser February 13-14. Schwartz, whose uniform number will be on T-shirts for sale to raise funds for cancer research, was diagnosed in December with leukemia.

Schwartz, 20, has returned to her home in Saskatchewan for treatment but keeps her teammates updated on her progress. Her teammates are wearing special bracelets, leaving a space for her when they line up for pregame introductions and wearing her uniform number on their helmets.

The “Pink at the Rink” fund-raising effort is an annual event supported by ECAC Hockey and the American Cancer Society. The event also benefits Hockey Coaches Care, an organization that helps members of the amateur hockey community. This year’s event will feature an online auction of the pink sticks the players use in warm-ups as well as other items. The auction items can be viewed here.

The team will play Rensselaer February 13 and Union (New York) February 14. Admission is free, but fans are encouraged to make donations to help cancer research. The February 14 game will also offer face painting, raffles and a postgame autograph session as the team celebrates Youth Day.