Our other cause this year is Isla Doney. Her story is detailed below. Isla is a special young lady from Havre, Montana with very close connections to MSU-Northern and the Frontier Conference. Read her story here:

In March 2025, Isla was diagnosed with leukemia, beginning a journey that has tested her strength, resilience, and determination in ways most people can only imagine. At just 13 years old, she was finishing her seventh-grade year at St. Jude Thaddeus School. An active student-athlete, Isla loved playing volleyball and basketball and was eagerly looking forward to starting club volleyball when her diagnosis changed everything.

Her treatment protocol required significant precautions, preventing her from participating in sports and attending school in person for most of her eighth-grade year. The demands of treatment also meant spending extended periods away from home. During the first year alone, Isla and her family needed to remain close to her hospital in Kalispell, resulting in a total of six months away from home.

Now, a year and a half into her three-year treatment plan, Isla has successfully completed some of the most intensive phases of chemotherapy. She is currently in the maintenance stage of treatment, which has allowed her to spend more time at home, return to in-person classes as she prepares to begin her freshman year, and regain the strength and energy needed to return to the activities she loves.

This summer, Isla is excited to attend sports camps and is working hard to get back into shape so she can return to the volleyball court with her friends. Although she still has a year and a half of treatment ahead before she can ring the bell in August 2027, her optimism remains unwavering. Isla continues to face each challenge with courage and determination, and she looks forward to all that the future holds.