- Matthew Schaefer opened the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Room at a Long Island cancer center on Monday
- The Islanders Children’s Foundation put $150,000 toward the room for kids whose parents are in treatment
- Read below for what Schaefer and his dad said at the dedication
Matthew Schaefer opened a room in his late mother’s name on Monday, and it’s built for kids who are stuck waiting while a parent gets cancer treatment.
The Islanders defenseman, his father Todd and his brother Johnny cut the ribbon on the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Room at the R.J. Zuckerberg Cancer Center in Lake Success, N.Y. Jennifer Schaefer died of breast cancer in February 2024, when Matthew was 16.
Here’s the Islanders’ post from the ribbon cutting:
The space is hockey themed and filled with Islanders memorabilia, with air hockey, bubble hockey and gaming consoles. A $150,000 donation from the Islanders Children’s Foundation paid for it, and counseling will be available for children of patients.
Schaefer was asked what a room like this would have meant to his family back then.
“When my mom was going through cancer, we wish we could have had a room where me, my brother or dad could go get a breath of fresh air,” Schaefer said. “It’s not always fun when you come to hospitals, but obviously the people around it make it super special, the doctors and nurses. To have a room like this where kids and families can go when family members are getting treatments, the kid can go and just be a kid and play video games.”
Before he spoke, Schaefer joked with his dad at the podium, telling him to hold the tears in. Todd tried, but he got choked up talking about the room.
“My wife would be so pleased,” Todd said. “The room is exactly what she would want. I know when she was battling, we didn’t have anything like this.”
Reporter Peter Botte covered the dedication and shot this photo of Schaefer speaking with reporters:
Schaefer plans to visit the room during the season. It will also carry personal messages from him for the families who use it. Islanders co-owner Jon Ledecky said Schaefer already shows up at the cancer center regularly.
The project goes back to May, when Schaefer brought the Calder Trophy to Cohen Children’s Medical Center and announced the plan. In October, he brought a young fan battling cancer to the Islanders bench.
Here are more photos from the day:
Schaefer said his mom would be “smiling down right now.” Her name is now on a room built for kids who need somewhere to just be kids.
