A pre-game fireside chat at Coca-Cola Coliseum last weekend put a familiar hockey voice at the center of a broader conversation, as former Toronto Sceptres goaltender Erica Howe spoke about her experience with breast cancer and the importance of listening to your body.
Hosted by TSN’s Julia Tocheri, the event — organized by BD-Canada — brought together voices from across the league and its partners, but it was Howe’s story that gave the conversation its weight.
A member of the Sceptres during the PWHL’s inaugural 2024 season, Howe served as a backup goaltender behind starter Kristen Campbell before being diagnosed with breast cancer following the season. She has since undergone treatment and has remained connected to the team and the game.
Her message was direct.
“When it came to hockey, I tried to be tough while still understanding the importance of taking care of yourself for the next generation: no one knows your body better than you,” Howe said. “But when it came to a lump in my chest, I needed my teammates to encourage me to go to the doctor’s and get it checked out. So I lead with that: be brave, no one knows your body better than you do. Reach out and take care of yourself.”
Erica Howe at pre-game fireside chat, hosted by Julia Tocheri, exploring leadership through the intersection of women’s sports, women’s health and community impact.The setting — a pre-game event before a match with the Torrent — made the connection between hockey and health feel immediate, not abstract. Players, teams and league figures are increasingly part of conversations that extend beyond the rink, particularly as the PWHL continues to define its identity in its early seasons.
Chelsea Purcell, the league’s vice president of corporate partnerships, said that alignment was intentional.
“This partnership is very different: we’re focused on women’s health and bringing Erica’s voice in,” Purcell said. “There was no question from anyone at the league when we wanted to do this partnership because it was tying Erica’s story with the story of women’s empowerment and health.”
While the event highlighted collaboration between the league and its partners, the through line remained the role athletes can play in shaping those conversations — not through messaging, but through lived experience.
That reality has also been visible elsewhere in the league this season. Ottawa Charge head coach Carla MacLeod has continued behind the bench while undergoing treatment for breast cancer, another reminder of how closely these issues can intersect with the game.
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