SHU Hosts LivSports Hockey Marathon for Pediatric Cancer

Event raised $170,000 for childhood cancer organization LivFree

Sacred Heart University hosted the Inaugural LivSports 24-hour Hockey Marathon for the nonprofit childhood cancer organization LivFree, raising $170,000 to benefit cancer patients and their families as part of the organization’s LivSports program.

LivSports, one of LivFree’s platforms, brings athletes of all ages together to use their love of sports as a platform for hope. Students and staff from across the University participated in the hockey event, and about 500 families supported the players in the stands.

Hockey players from across the state participated in the 24-hour continuous game. Each player raised at least $1,500 to participate and spent at least eight hours on the ice in the overnight event.

Several members of Sacred Heart’s Division I women’s hockey team helped patient participants on the ice during the opening showcase. Volunteers from the University chapters of Delta Zeta and Delta Tau Delta assisted during the opening showcase. Additional support came from Sacred Heart students and staff—including the LivFree student intern team—who served as scorekeepers, goalies, referees, skaters and more, all contributing to the success of the event.

LivFree brings joy to children and young adults battling cancer by creating meaningful moments that allow them—and their families—to take a break from treatment and simply be kids. These moments may be small in scale, but the scope of their impact is profound and long lasting.

The organization turned around a prospectively frightening day for psychology major Jack Damato ’27 after he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. “LivFree made my first day of radiation therapy happy instead of upsetting,” he said. “They sent my mom and me to Broadway to see Hamilton, and it was an awesome experience.”

Sacred Heart club hockey goalie and exercise science and management double major Corey Splaine ’25 was diagnosed with brain cancer in the beginning of 2024. He said he cannot thank the LivFree staff enough for all the help they’ve been to him and his family. “LivFree has given me the opportunity to find joy and happiness during an extremely difficult time,” Splaine said. “They have also given me the opportunity to inspire individuals and families impacted by cancer.”

Jim McCaffrey, LivFree’s chief inspiration officer and the event organizer, said, “This unique hockey event and LivFree are all about hope and joy in action. Our mission is to create moments of joy that not only uplift children but also bring families together, providing a lasting impact during their toughest times. This event is about more than just playing hockey and raising money—it’s about making a real difference in the lives of those who need it most.”

LivFree, a local nonprofit founded in 2016 and based on Sacred Heart’s West Campus, serves families nationwide. Their team is already collaborating with Sacred Heart staff to plan the 2nd Annual LivSports Hockey Marathon in 2026.