The wait for the Cure Cancer Classic is almost up

This year marks the charity game’s 20 year anniversary

Aidan Michaelov | March 7, 2025 | Hockey,Sports

Last year's game saw a 7-3 Commerce win. Image by: Journal File Photo

In its 20th year, the Cure Cancer Classic (CCC) is gearing up to bring together the top hockey talent from rival Smith schools for an epic showdown.

The CCC pins the best hockey players from the Commerce and Engineering faculties in a charity event where all funds go to the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS). This year’s game will be held on March 13 at Slush Puppie Place.

Since 2005, CCC, a student-run fundraising club, has raised over $2 million, bringing students together both on the ice and golf course. In 2020, the CCC held its inaugural Golf Tournament, raising $32,000 for brain cancer research amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s tournament was held last Sept. 27 and 28, marking its five-year anniversary. CCC also hosts the Queen’s Classic and Commerce Classic.

In a statement to The Journal, CCC Co-Chairs Ben Schwartz and Kate Fitzpatrick, both Comm ’25, spoke to their inspiration to contribute to the club. Both in their final year at Queen’s, Schwartz and Fitzpatrick have been a part of CCC since first year.

“Our unwavering commitment to organizing these tournaments stems from the profound impact we achieve. Recognizing that every dollar raised directly funds clinical trials and research for new cancer treatments, we understand that our community events serve a greater purpose,” they said.

Tickets for this year’s Comm-Eng game sold out in just a couple of days, however, those eager to watch Queens’ fiercest rivalry take to the ice can do so from their Instagram.

Over the past four years, CCC has experienced remarkable growth in their annual donations, increasing from $340,000 in 2022 to $600,000 in 2024 after a dollar-for-dollar match from the CCS, the Co-Chairs said. “This upward trajectory is a testament to our team’s dedication to surpassing previous achievements.”

Year after year, the Comm-Eng Game asserts itself as one of the most exciting events on campus, and although coming together to watch fast-paced hockey is great, Schwartz and Fitzpatrick declare this isn’t CCC’s only mission.

“We want to convey that regardless of age, schedule, or group size, everyone possesses the power to effect significant change. A dedicated team of 36 university students, all managing full course loads, has collectively raised over $2.1 million in four years. This achievement underscores our collective capacity to make a difference,” Schwartz and Fitzpatrick said. “It’s about recognizing our potential to drive change and taking decisive action to bring it to fruition.”

This article was originally written by Aidan Michaelov from the Queen’s Journal and posted on March 7, 2025. You can find the original article here.