Oak Knoll’s ice hockey program, spearheaded by team captain Ellie Cuisimano ’26, hosted a recent bone marrow and blood stem cell donor registry drive on campus, which resulted in more than 51 potential donors registered.

The drive was held in partnership with international nonprofit DKMS to help the organization fulfill its goal to end blood cancer by connecting patients with donors around the globe. The need is significant: approximately 70 percent of patients are unable to find a matching donor within their own families. Registration requires only a simple cheek swab.

For Cusimano, the project was intensely personal, owing to her father’s own battle with acute myeloid leukemia. He was first diagnosed in 2016 and again in 2019 and 2022, necessitating three bone marrow transplants.

“While he was waiting to be matched for one of his transplants, my mom hosted a DKMS drive at one of my brother’s hockey games, and it generated so much hope not just for my dad but for everyone who supported,” Cusimano said. “I wanted to have a similar experience, but with my community here at Oak Knoll.”

Like registration, donating marrow is also often straightforward and may only require a blood draw. Cusimano hopes drives like these can raise awareness and expand the donor pool.

She also saw the project as an opportunity to bring a different kind of service initiative to campus.

“I wanted to show my teammates and the rest of the school that you don’t always have to do the same thing and that nothing is too big,” she said. “At first, this project seemed like it had so many moving parts and was never going to work out, but with the help of all the co-captains and our coach, we were able to finally make it work.”

In addition to the drive, a bake sale was held that further raised more than $250.

Varsity Coach Meghan Cassidy lauded her athletes, and Ellie and her sister Lexie Cuisimano ’28 in particular.

“I feel incredibly proud watching our players live out the Holy Child motto of ‘Actions, Not Words,’ Cassidy said. “Every day I see them show up for one another, whether it’s at a long practice or a game against a challenging opponent. Seeing them come together to make a difference beyond the ice is especially meaningful.

While the captains learned how to run the donor registration process, younger players contributed by organizing the bake sale, Cassidy said. Moments like this, she added, are a powerful reminder that lessons learned on the ice extend far beyond the rink.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them grow into compassionate leaders in our community,” she added.