Islanders Open Cancer Support Room Honoring Matthew Schaefer’s Mother

On November 2, the New York Islanders and defenseman Matthew Schaefer opened the Jennifer Schaefer Child Support Room at Northwell Health’s New Hyde Park cancer facility, the R.J. Zuckerberg Center. The space honors Schaefer’s mother, who died of breast cancer in 2024, and is intended to give children a place for comfort and support while a parent or caregiver receives cancer treatment.

The hockey-themed room includes Islanders memorabilia, air hockey, video game consoles and bubble hockey. It also has a private area for counseling and will have a child development professional from Cohen Children’s Medical Center on staff, who can help children understand a caregiver’s illness and cope with its emotional effects through age-appropriate activities.

The Islanders Children’s Foundation contributed $150,000 to the project, and Schaefer also made a personal contribution. At the opening, he gave a ladybug bracelet to 15-year-old L.J. London, whose mother has faced breast cancer. Schaefer has used ladybugs as a symbol of his mother’s presence since one landed on him after her death.

Schaefer said his family had wished for a place like this during his mother’s treatment. He plans to visit the room throughout the year, and said he looks forward to playing bubble hockey with children who use it. Northwell Health CEO John D’Angelo said the space adds support for patients’ children alongside the health system’s cancer care.