Ottawa Charge coach Carla MacLeod announces breast cancer diagnosis

Ottawa Charge coach Carla MacLeod announced Sunday that she has been diagnosed with breast cancer and plans “to be behind the bench as much as possible” during her treatment.

“Hearing those words was incredibly difficult, but I want everyone to know that I’m going to be okay,” MacLeod said in a statement. “I’m incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional medical team guiding me, and together we’ve built a treatment plan that gives me tremendous confidence in the road ahead.”

MacLeod has coached the Charge since the PWHL’s inaugural season and led the team to the Finals in 2024-25. She’s also the head coach of the Czech women’s national team, which qualified for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. As a player, the 43-year-old MacLeod won gold medals in 2006 and 2010 with the Canadian women’s national team.

MacLeod will miss Tuesday’s game against Minnesota as her treatment begins this week. But, she said, her treatment plan should have “minimal impact on being present for the Charge” and that she’ll still be able to coach Czechia at the Olympics in February.

“The FOMO will be real, but I’m incredibly lucky to be surrounded by world-class players, coaches, and staff who will keep pushing our group forward,” she said. “Being with this team fuels me, and I intend to stay as connected as I can during treatment.”

Charge assistant Haley Irwin will serve as head coach on Tuesday, general manager Mike Hirshfeld said in a statement.

“The Charge and League are here to support Carla throughout her treatment,” he said. “Her strength, resilience, and optimism shine through in the most challenging of circumstances, and we know she’ll approach this next chapter with the same determination she brings to everything she does.”

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

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