Lacrosse Team Honors Saratoga Student’s Memory, Raises $16K for Childhood Cancer Research

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Lacrosse players from both Saratoga Springs and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake honored the memory of Olivia Allen, a former Blue Streak who succumbed to leukemia last year, prior to their game on May 3.

The student-athletes completed 47 passes to draw attention to the fact that 47 kids are diagnosed with cancer each day in the United States. The teams were able to raise $16,000 in support of childhood cancer research, a $6,000 increase from the sum raised last year.

The touching tribute was part of the LaCROSSe Out Cancer Challenge, which supports the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and the Live Like Liv Foundation, the latter of which was founded in memory of Allen.

“Liv’s heroic story is being heard and felt throughout the entire country,” said Coach Jennifer Furze at last year’s event. “It is truly a testament to the beautiful human being she was.”

According to Bonnie Lattimore, the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation’s senior director of development and strategic partnerships, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for kids, but only a small percentage of federal funding for cancer research is devoted to children.

“We try to do anything we can, like partner with Saratoga Springs lacrosse or other organizations, to try to fill that funding gap, and they’ve done a fantastic job,” Lattimore told Saratoga TODAY. Lattimore also said that $50 funds about one hour of research. “This has a huge impact for pediatric cancer,” she said.

Olivia Allen graduated from Saratoga Springs High School in 2023 and planned to attend Florida State University to study nursing. She played for the Blue Streaks field hockey and gymnastic teams.