Lake Forest’s annual Ry’s Run took place virtually again this year. Organized by the women’s hockey team, the event was held on Sunday, April 25. The team challenged fellow Foresters, friends, and family to get outside and run or walk a mile in honor Ryann “Ry” McCarthy, a former Forester women’s hockey player who lost her battle with cancer in 2009.
The team encouraged participation through social media posts, and also set up a Venmo account to collect donations. They raised over $400 and have requested the funds go directly to Cure Sarcoma for funding of Ewing’s Sarcoma research specifically.
In past years, Ry’s Run helped kick off or continue the week leading into Relay for Life and used to be a 5k or challenging obstacle course that the campus community would take part in. The team hopes to return to that tradition in future years.
McCarthy grew up in Lombard, Illinois and graduated Willowbrook High School. She played hockey for the Foresters from 2006-08. In the Fall of 2008, McCarthy was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, an extremely aggressive form of cancer. She was forced to stop playing and withdraw from school due to her illness, but she could often be seen cheering on her fellow Foresters. She passed away on July 28, 2009.
An award in her name and honor was established a few months later and is given annually to the player, selected by her teammates, who best displays spirit, determination, dedication, and love for the game of hockey – the special qualities of the player for whom the award was named.
The Ry McCarthy Award and Ry’s Run are part of Ry’s enduring legacy on campus, a legacy that will continue to live on in the Forester community.