Childhood cancer survivor Hunter Drouin ’26 wants to give hope to kids facing the same battle he did.
Hunter Drouin ’26 was a happy, seemingly healthy kid. But just days before his third birthday, his life and his family’s lives changed. Hunter was wrestling with his 5-year-old brother, Mason, when Mason landed on top of Hunter. The younger boy suddenly felt a sharp, fiery pain in his stomach. His mother held him, trying to ease his discomfort, until he fell asleep. The hope was he’d feel better after a good nap. But things only got worse.
While Hunter was asleep, he started heaving; his skin turned cold and clammy. He was taken to the local emergency room and then transferred to a children’s hospital in New Hampshire. Doctors found a ruptured tumor in his kidney and diagnosed him with a rare kidney cancer called Wilms tumor, which generally affects children.
Drouin underwent emergency surgery to remove the organ before the tumor spread, followed by months of chemotherapy and radiation. Life slowly returned to normal for Drouin and his family, though every five years he needed blood tests to ensure the cancer had not returned. Drouin has been in remission for the last 16 years.
“If my brother didn’t land on me that day, who knows what would have happened,” says Drouin, a member of the men’s lacrosse team. He wants to use his story to give hope to others with the disease, as well as help raise money for childhood cancer research.
Each season, men’s lacrosse selects a cause for raising awareness and donations. This year, the team partnered with Lacrosse Out Cancer, a nationwide campaign that raises money for the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation. Men’s lacrosse gathered donations throughout the season. At press time, the team had raised more than $16,000.
“It means the world to me that my teammates and coaching staff are as invested in supporting childhood cancer research as I am,” Drouin says.
Much of Drouin’s memories from his fight with cancer are a blur, but the Derry, N.H., native knows that his community stepped up to support his family when he was undergoing treatment. People brought food and gifts; built a new swing set in the yard; raised money; and volunteered child care, dog sitting, and house maintenance during the many days when Drouin and his parents were at the hospital. “It was a team battle,” he says.
In high school, doctors restricted him from playing football, fearing an impact to his back could damage his lone kidney. But he was cleared to play hockey and lacrosse, as long as he used extra padding. He excelled in lacrosse, piling up goals, and he caught the attention of colleges (including Colgate) who wanted to recruit him.
Colgate offered everything he wanted, and Head Coach Matt Karweck stood out. At the time, the pandemic was in the early stages and campus visits were barred. Karweck flew a drone with a camera through campus so Drouin could see the place that could be his home for the next four years. They also talked for hours on the phone. “He’s the main reason I am here,” Drouin says.
He committed to Colgate, played lacrosse for a year at a boarding school following high school, and began playing for the Raiders in fall 2022. He collected nine goals and three assists for 12 points as a midfielder, with one hat trick in a victory over Holy Cross on April 28. He led all first-years on the team in scoring.
Academically, Drouin still has another year to declare a major, but he wants to study political science and become a lawyer.
As the Raiders march forward, Drouin wants to help kids who face the same battle he did as a 3-year-old. “I want to give them a sense of hope. Good can come even from the worst of times.”