The latest
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Checking in at Combat Sports Boston
Last night we made our weekly trip to Combat Sports Boston, and caught up with two of our five fighters over there. We got to see Doug and Jamie go a few rounds each in the ring. Watch out everyone because I wouldn't want to get hit by what Doug is throwing! He went a couple rounds with his trainer Dave Crowell, and we have never seen anyone be able to land a punch on Dave, and Doug landed a few. Check that, Doug landed a few punches without Dave letting him...Doug also did a couple rounds with Haymakers for Hope alum Christian Galvin. These were two very high intense rounds and both guys were going at it. Christian looks like he hasn't lost a step, and put up a good fight against Doug.Jamie is one of our most improved fighters this year. He has really taken to boxing after having played water polo at BC. Jamie was putting together some nice combinations, and his conditioning is coming along very well.
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Back at Nonantum!
Last night, we headed back to Nonantum Boxing Club in Newton to catch up with John Sementelli. John, who is "Shirtless" Ray McCarthy's cousin, was getting some mitt work in with Marc. John is one of the nicest guys amongst this years group of fighters, but when he puts those gloves on, you better be ready! John was feeling a little skinny after losing five pounds due to buying his first home (congrats again!), but something tells us he'll be fine! Don't wait to buy tickets to see John fight on May 17th at House of Blues for Haymakers for Hope Rock n' Rumble!
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Cheese, Sleep and Family…The Sacrifices of a Fighter
32 men and women are in training for the Rock ‘N Rumble VII in Boston on May 18th. Over the next three months they’re fundraising, shadowboxing, sparring, running, jumping rope, doing all they can, trying to drop those lbs to hit weight on fight night and walk away with a W. Which means that as they’re preparing for the big night, there are a few things they’ll have to sacrifice to be physically and mentally ready to get in the ring. We were curious what those sacrifices were so we asked them what the hardest things to give up would be, whether it be beer, staying up late or the most difficult of all - tacos. Check out what some of our fighters had to say…I lost 17 lbs in January. Cheese, if you're listening - I miss you. -Nick Bryne, Redline Fight Sports I would say probably the time to spend with my girlfriend, friends and family. It’s a juggling act and there isn't enough time in the day. -Adam Chicoine, Sorabella Training Center While I miss beer, cocktails, and delicious food, I feel fortunate to be able to make the choice to not eat some things I want, or to go to the gym even if it’s really early. -Kim Lipman, Elite Boxing & Fitness I fucking love beer and miss it dearly. If you see beer, say hello for me. -Tim Morin, TKO Boxing Tacos! O maaaaaan my pork tacos. Oh, and my mezcal old fashioned's. -Michael Abbate, Redline Fight Sports The most difficult thing would probably be balance – the balance between training, work, sleep, relationships, hobbies, etc. Giving up beer or delicious fatty foods can be tough but balancing time and priorities is pretty difficult too. -Pat Rodgers, Redline Fight Sports Burgers are really my vice… -Vinnie Murphy, EverbodyFights If I’m being honest, there really isn’t anything I’m going to miss while training. I eat healthy on a regular basis, train like a mad man when my kids are in school, and I haven’t had a sip of alcohol in almost 3 years. -Matt Christensen, Hurrikane Holloway’s I’m not giving up any of my vices. If anything, I am using this as a platform to promote my love for Taco Bell. I want to prove eating countless meals from the tastiest fast food chain ever can help you accomplish your goals. – Matt Grendal, Elite Boxing & Fitness The biggest challenge so far has been getting myself to bed at a reasonable hour so I can get enough sleep! -Emily Jones, EverybodyFights I think the hardest part about training will be giving up spending time with my wife and dogs. I work long hours every day so the additional time spent training will take away from them. I am very thankful for my wife and her support during these next four months. -Nathaniel Short, EverybodyFights
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Rock 'N Rumble VIII: Rusty Handler
During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rock ‘N Rumble VIII in Boston on May 17th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether their mom is battling, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Rusty Handler, fighting out of EverybodyFights in South Boston.Where are you from? I lived in Los Angeles, CA my entire life--raised in Calabasas, CA and going to school in the city at USC. I moved out to Boston after my Senior year and have lived in South Boston for the past 3 yearsWhere’d you go to college? University of Southern California (Fight On!)Did you play any sports growing up? As a kid I fell in love with baseball, which was great for my Mom as she wanted to keep me away from contact sports as long as possible. When I told her I was signing up for the Freshman football team she almost had a heart attack! My Freshman football coach, Andy Falk, encouraged me to join the wrestling team after the season was over to complement my football skills. What was a fun activity turned into a year-round sport for me. I was one of the few Sophomore team captains for my high school's wrestling team, I competed in off-season tournaments across California and Nevada for USA Wrestling (thanks to my Dad for the many miles logged on his car!) and eventually found myself establishing the wrestling program at USC and competing in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association.What do you do for work? I began my career, post-college, at Putnam Investments within a sales and marketing role and was recently promoted to be an Investment Specialist.Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting? I've always been a very competitive person. Growing up around sports my entire life, it's almost second nature to be. Since my last wrestling match I haven't had an opportunity to compete athletically but I've stayed very active in the gym. I've been fortunate enough to meet some great people out here in Boston, one of which is a trainer at EverybodyFights who became my roommate. I'm not sure if he just really wants to see me get hit in the face a few times or if he's just super passionate about boxing (probably both) but he convinced me that I should jump on the opportunity to learn the sport and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity with Haymakers to do so.Why on earth did you sign up to fight?? After volunteering for Haymakers for Hope last year, and standing just feet away from the stage, I was blown away. It was one thing to hear about the training and preparation that each boxer put in but it was another to hear stories of how each was affected by cancer. The combination of all those factors pushed me to sign up.You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you? During my Junior year of college my grandfather was diagnosed with an advanced form of cancer. The absolute Superman of our family, hearing him cry on the phone to my sisters and I when telling us broke us all. But he kept being that rock that we relied on through it all. I was fortunate enough that I was close enough to home that I was able to sit with him through every chemo session. One of the last pictures I have of him is sitting in therapy with a huge smile on his face. His strength before, during and after each round is what drives me. Outside of my personal experience, I have plenty of friends and acquaintances whose lives have been affected by cancer. Haymakers is an opportunity for me to represent all of those people that want to have a voice in the fight for a cure but don't know how or what they can do about it.What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?) I have a big spot in my heart for Chinese food. I'm slightly concerned that Teriyaki House in Southie is going to think I moved.When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have? SPORTS--Most people would tell you USC football runs my life and that would be slightly accurate. Outside of that I have an undying loyalty to my California sports--Lakers, Raiders, Angels & Ducks. I also love to travel and hope to do more international trips later this year.Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night? There's plenty of people I can put on blast here but I'm going to say my friends purely on the fact that I'm willingly do it and they're going to see it happen. Be sure to check out his fundraising page here and wish him luck on Instagram! Best of luck, Rusty!
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Solving Alzheimer's with a Cancer Drug?
In an article posted on ABC news researchers have found that a skin cancer drug called bexarotene, has shown the ability to fight Alzheimer's disease in mice. This is leading to a debate on whether doctors should be prescribing bexarotene to their Alzheimer's patients. Most experts argue that such a prescription would be unethical and highly dangerous because there has not been any human testing yet. Since bexarotene is already approved by the FDA for treating skin cancer, doctors can technically prescribe it "off label" to patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease. These doctors that are against using bexrotene in this fashion, argue that the normal side affects of the drug, which include increased cholesterol mixed with other medications Alzheimer's patients take could be deadly.Normal Alzheimer's drugs don't treat the cause of the disease, but make the symptoms more bearable. The reason there is excitement around using bexarotene, is that in studies performed on mice bexarotene is shown to attack the disease directly by cleaning up beta-amyloid protein plaques in the brain. Similar drugs have been found to do the same thing in the past on mice, but have failed on humans. This radical idea isn't quite there yet, but it if further testing on humans goes well we could be seeing groundbreaking stuff.To read the complete article: Click Here
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Back at Mendez Boxing...
Friday, the Haymakers team had another exciting day. Early on, we went to Mendez Boxing to check in with Jim Paolino who got in the ring with his trainer for a few rounds. Jim's movement around the ring has improved a lot and shows through his footwork and quick hands. Later in the day, we went back to Mendez to see both Claudio Ochoa (pictured left) and Tom Hedus. Claudio was looking more comfortable in the gym, hitting the bag, working with a trainer, and doing sit ups in between rounds. Tom warmed up for a while and showed his power when hitting the heavy bag. To see all of their training photos, click here.
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
USA Boxing isn't dead yet
Over the passed few days everyone in the media, including famed ESPN analyst Michael Wilbon have declared USA Boxing dead. All of these analysts have very valid points, but they seem to be missing a key point... They are all talking about men's boxing, and how all the American men have been knocked out of the competition. There are still American's fighting. Actually, as we are writing this, the USA's best hope at a medal in boxing is fighting. Her name is Marlen Esparza. Yes, we said her name. The 2012 London games mark the first time that women's boxing is an olympic sport. This is a monumental occasion for women's boxing, and Team USA is doing quite well for themselves. Esparza is into the semi-finals today, and she is not only American still fighting. We wish the best of luck today to Marlen and her teammates as they keep fighting for Team USA and its reputation.To read Michael Wilbon's article on ESPN: Click HereTo read more about Marlen's quest for gold: Click Here
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Sparring with Mark Avery
In 2013, as Mark Avery wiped his own blood from the middle of the ring where he’d just been sparring, he struggled to wipe worry away from his mind as well. Would his participation in his upcoming Haymakers for Hope match be over before it ever began? His nose had just been broken. As the profuse pouring of blood from it gave way to swelling, it became increasingly clear that he’d likely be unable to fight. He feared that he wouldn’t make it to the final bell. He was right. To fully understand the nature of his unfinished Haymakers journey, it helps to look back to an earlier time in Mark Avery’s life, a time when his nose had a bit less character than it has today. Working hard to help those battling cancer was something familiar to Mark long before he ever started learning to throw punches for the cause. He worked at Dana Farber Cancer Institute doing fundraising and development for seven years and was always looking for additional ways to help. He also ran the Boston Marathon separately from his position at Dana Farber, and was matched up with a pediatric cancer patient partner named Trent, who is now thirteen.“He’s an awesome little kid,” Mark says. “He’s nine or ten now and has been cancer free for a number of years. It has been super inspirational to see what he’s gone through. Such a strong little guy.”Mark’s now-wife also worked at Dana Farber as a liaison for fundraising and events and was the person who brought Haymakers for Hope to his attention. As someone who’s demonstrated a willingness to put his body through the ringer to help others, it should come as no surprise that he jumped at the chance to get involved. “Kelsey walked into an area where a bunch of coworkers and I were,” Mark remembers, “and was like ‘Hey, are any of you guys interested in boxing for charity?’ Everyone kind of turned their heads away, but once she explained what Haymakers was, I was like ‘Yes, I am totally on board with this. This is great.”Mark didn’t have any experience with boxing, but was athletic and had played some lacrosse throughout his life. More than anything, he was looking for new and challenging ways to raise money for the cause. And so the journey towards a bloody and broken nose began. He started out at 152 pounds, but stood out for his speed. He even was given a nickname, Mark the Spark. “My game plan is to stick and move,” he says. “Don’t get hit. Be quicker than the other guy.” Things were going well for Mark, as far as his training was concerned. He was about halfway through his training regiment and was just about to start selling tickets to the fight as part of the effort to raise the required amount that all Haymakers fighters take on. He was sparring with another trainer at the gym, when he found himself on the receiving end of a punch gone awry. “I remember thinking, ‘what just happened to my face’,” Mark recalls with a laugh. “I didn’t know it was officially broken until the swelling went down. I actually kept on training for a couple of weeks. Once I realized what had happened, I had a difficult decision to make.”Mark wasn’t a career boxer and, like most of us, he wasn’t entirely keen on further injuring himself in the name of the sport. Still, he had worked so hard and the idea of having it all be for naught seemed unacceptable. He went back and forth in his mind, but when he was assured by Haymakers that they’d do their best to match him up with someone for the following year, Mark agreed to postpone his involvement. ...A year later, in May of 2014, Mark stands backstage ready for his fight. He picked up right where he had left off the prior year and even had George Foreman III as his trainer this time around. The fight before him ends in a knock-out and all of a sudden it’s time to go. The prior four months had led up to the next six minutes.Mark felt physically and mentally prepared. He also felt great about how much money he had raised, far exceeding his fundraising goal. He remembers a calm coming over him, knowing he could never be any more ready than he was at that moment. He recalls listening to the Alabama Shakes, fun, upbeat music, far from the death metal most other boxers were taking in to pump themselves up. “At that point, I just wanted to enjoy the ride,” he says, smiling.And so Mark “The Spark” Avery stepped into the ring. He lived up to the name, moving non-stop, circling. He moved so much that he ran into the ref multiple times. “You don’t really hear the crowd much until a big punch is thrown,” Mark says. “If it catches either one of you, your mind focuses on the crowd’s reaction. It almost takes you out of it, like ‘Was that actually a big punch? Did I really get hit that hard?’ Your adrenaline is pumping, so you don’t really feel pain.Eventually the final bell rings. His opponent has lost. The fight is finished. But Mark isn’t. “You can only fight one time,” Mark explains. “Afterwards, you feel like you’re part of this elite club of people who have fought and raised a lot of money. I was so proud of it. I wanted to stay involved, wanted to know how else I could support the organization.”Mark kept touching base with Haymakers, bringing friends who were interested in signing up, coming to the shows, volunteering. His passion for this cause was clear. A year after his fight, Mark goes on his honeymoon. He and his wife enjoy a safari in Africa (at one point a lion wanders into camp, and Marks leaps up from bed, readying himself to take on another opponent with a pocket knife. No rounds are fought.). The second they land back stateside, Mark turns on his phone to find a message from Myerson, who’s taken clear notice of Mark’s ongoing dedication to Haymakers.He and co-founder Julie Kelly present an opportunity to Mark. ...Today, Mark is the director of Haymakers for Hope. He’s running operations, working on its expansion, doing everything he can to take it to the next level. He’s hoping to expand the charity events into Washington D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco. “My goal is to use my past experience to make a huge impact on a charity that I’m incredibly passionate about. Helping Haymakers grow, helping fighters who are going through the experience for the first time. I love the thought of that,” Mark says. It wasn’t all that long ago that Mark Avery busted his nose for Haymakers.These days, he’s busting his ass for them.***Chris Randa is a freelance writer, film producer, and special education teacher. He lives with his wife and son in Millis, MA. Check out his work at www.kerpunkerplunk.comand follow him on Twitter at @ChrisRanda
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Finding hope—and a home—in a boxing gym
The 2016 Haymakers for Hope charity fight in New York City is still close to nine months away, but that isn’t stopping Steve Reynolds or Adam Glazer from talking up the event to anyone they meet at Gotham Gym or elsewhere. As alumni boxers from the 2013 Haymakers fight in New York, the two can’t say enough good things about the experience, or about the gym that brought them there. “We’re always scouting for new Haymakers fighters,” says Glazer, who has maintained his boxing fitness with three to four workouts a week at Gotham. “Then when new guys or girls come in to train, we work out with them, we encourage them and we spar with them. We’re a team. We train together.”The way Glazer sees it, Gotham Gym has become a kind of second home, and its trainers—in particular Mike Castle, Sechew Powell and owner Rob Piela— along with his Haymakers teammates, have become family. “Mike Castle works like a dog for any of us doing Haymakers,” says Glazer. “All of the trainers do. It’s just the culture here. We call it the Gotham family. I think it’s really special. This place is my sanctuary.”Reynolds couldn’t agree more, noting that Gotham has become a feeder gym for Haymakers precisely because the experience inspires the fighters to encourage others to sign up. To date, Gotham has sent 25 fighters to the Haymakers ring to fight cancer. “I always tell the new guys, you’ll never forget this. It will be one of the top 10 things you will ever do in your life,” says Reynolds, who also remains an active part of the boxing team at Gotham.Indeed, Haymakers played a pivotal role in helping both Glazer and Reynolds move on from the debilitating effects of cancer treatment. Reynolds was diagnosed with neck cancer in the fall of 2006, and had surgery and treatment the following winter. Declared cancer-free by that April, the tall, formerly athletic Reynolds slowly returned to his career in the tech industry, but he was “weak and very thin.” It took another year before he could work full time.“When I hit the five-year ‘officially clear’ mark in 2012, I realized I had not been physically active for a long time,” says Reynolds. “I felt a bit defeated, so I decided to get into the gym and start pushing myself back into shape.”Reynolds joined Gotham in the spring of 2012, and that’s where he first heard about Haymakers for Hope. “It just hit me like, wow! That was something I wanted to do,” he says. “But I was too late for the cut-off and there was no match. And really I was so new to it all that I just decided I would get ready for the next one. I made 2012 my year to get back. My first goal was just to be able to run a mile.”Meanwhile, Glazer had been fighting his own battle against cancer. “In 2010, I underwent a year of treatment for cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital,” he says. “I was fortunate in that the cancer I had was highly treatable, though the surgery and chemo were pretty taxing. It took a year of my life. I remember coming out of that knowing I wanted to get back to myself. I thought I’d try boxing.” When Glazer read an article about Haymakers, he knew what he was going to do. “I wanted to give something back,” he says. He signed up in 2013.“When I walked into Gotham, Mike Castleimmediately took me under his wing and got me ready to fight,” says Glazer. “I’ll never forget my first spar. It was terrible! It’s the most unnatural thing to do. It’s counterintuitive to NOT turn away, but you have to shrug it off. It’s also counterintuitive to hit somebody!”Glazer met Reynolds during training and they’ve been close friends ever since, just as they’ve become friends with the many Haymakers fighters who have come along after them. And both remain active in the gym, helping fighters prepare both physically and mentally, promoting fundraising efforts and even, in Reynolds’ case, serving as a second corner man for some of his teammates.“Haymakers has been the beacon,” says Glazer. “Combine that with the culture in our gym and the amazing trainers, and it all culminates perfectly to make the experience even greater.”That’s what both Glazer and Reynolds want the next team of fighters to understand: Haymakers gave them far more than the fitness they’d been looking for when they walked into Gotham almost three years ago.“When I was training for my fight, every aspect of my life was better,” says Glazer. “My work was more focused. I was more alert. It crystallized everything in my life. And really, I think the training was almost better than the event because it put me on this path to some amazing friendships with my trainers and teammates. That’s worth more, somehow, than winning.“That’s why we stay involved here,” he adds. “It’s great, and look how much money we’re raising! I often think if people had not raised money in the past, then maybe my treatment wouldn’t have been there for me. So I’m very grateful for Haymakers.”Both Glazer and Reynolds were treated at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, so it was only fitting that, in 2015, the pair accepted a Donor Recognition Award from the hospital on behalf of Haymakers for Hope. It’s no surprise that both also chose to direct most of their raised funds there.“Fighting in Haymakers was a demonstration that I was alive again,” says Reynolds. “It’s important for me to keep that going, which is why I stay connected to our team at the gym.”Reynolds took that connection deeper in the last year, when he worked with Gotham’s trainers to start a winter boxing program for kids. “We just started our second year, with about a dozen kids coming in to train every Saturday. It’s been really fun,” he says. “I’m so grateful. This whole experience has changed me. I have a physical life again and I have a way to channel my goal to give back. Gotham gave me a whole new community.”***Margie Kelley is a mom, freelance writer, master gardener and sometimes boxer. She fought in the 2013 Belles of the Brawl in Boston, and managed to convince her husband, Chris Fitzpatrick, to fight in the Rock ‘n Rumble in May. Settling arguments has taken on a whole new meaning in their house!
Read more ›
Thursday Jun 14, 2018
Dancing in the Rain
One doesn’t need to talk to Nicolette Deveau for very long to recognize that she wears her heart on her sleeve.A cliché, I know, but understand that I’m not speaking figuratively. It’s right there, plain as day. The tattoo sleeve of her right arm features a mural of images meant to evoke memories of her son Reggie, her heart, who lost his battle to Neuroblastoma in 2011. He was five years old. The tattoos are expertly done, colorful and beautiful. Depictions of the many things that remind her of Reggie. His name. His birthday. The likenesses of her son’s most beloved characters: Scooby-Doo, Mario and Yoshi, SpongeBob and Patrick. Daffodils sprout abundantly along her upper arm, the symbol of hope in the fight against cancer. And while these tattoos serve as a means of keeping the memory of her son alive and with her always, it’s clear that the loss is not something she forgets for a single moment of any given day. “The bad days never get better, but they do come less often,” she says. “It’s tough. People ask me how I can get through things, how I stay strong. If I didn’t channel it into positive energy, I would be miserable. I would probably break down. But I can’t. I have to find a purpose for my days. There needs to be a reason. I have to find positive parts of it.”As the father of a four year old myself, the most notable among the images on her arm is an exact replication of Reggie’s signature, all six letters of his name represented in his own handwriting. They’re not quite placed in order or in a linear fashion, but I’m familiar with such precious handwriting. I’m taken by how well his letters are formed, especially the “R”. By comparison, my son’s “S” is a near exact emulation of the Zs in Billy Madison’s cursive “Rizzuto”. If you haven’t seen the 90’s Adam Sandler film, imagine taking a piece of chalk and scribbling unplanned and erratic lightning-bolt-scribbles down a chalkboard. I mention this letter only because there is another prominent “S” on her tattoo sleeve. Superman’s.It is the emblem of a hero, a force that fights for what’s good, of a person who strives to make the world a better place. Superman was Reggie’s hero. Reggie was Nicolette’s hero. Now it’s Nicolette’s turn to put on the cape for her daughter Brookelynn, Reggie’s younger sister, who was only two when her big brother passed away. Nicolette has proven that she is more than up to the task. These days she spends her time devoted to raising awareness about pediatric cancer and she’s going about it in true superhero form.When we meet, it’s been two days since she’s completed the Boston Marathon, running for Mass General Hospital, who will soon be honoring her at the one hundred, a high profile gala that honors those whose commitment to the fight against cancer inspires others to take action. About halfway through running the marathon, her knee began to swell up, causing her immense amounts of pain. But, as superheroes do, she navigated through the excruciating pain for miles and miles to finish the race. Her young daughter met her just before the finish line and held her hand as she crossed, a little beat up, but victorious.This is a bit of a role reversal for Nicolette, as she’s grown accustomed to being the one who does the beating up. I’ve spoken to many Haymakers for Hope alumni, and while it’s common for past participants to continue to incorporate boxing routines into their ongoing workouts, Nicolette is the only one I’ve met who became, and continues to be, a boxer. After fighting in 2014’s Belles of the Brawl event (and winning her match), she’s continued on, fighting in other boxing charities such as Lights Out for Leukemia. She’s become such a talented and fearsome athlete in the ring that she’s even taken on the challenge of fighting in Boston’s Golden Gloves events, stepping into the ring to challenge other talented and experienced boxers. While Haymakers was her introduction to the sport, her participation was not some fleeting transformation. Nicolette Deveau is a boxer. And while she may continue to take part in other marathons in other cities around the country in the future, don’t count on marathon running to knock her out of the ring. “The whole time I was running [the Boston Marathon], I was thinking ‘I can’t wait to get back to boxing,’” she says and then adds with a half-serious laugh, “I really miss punching people.”Brookelynn is lucky to grow up with a role model like her mother, a woman who gives her all, physically, mentally, and emotionally, to make a change in the world, in hopes that one day other families won’t have to live through the devastation of losing their own child to cancer. Parents are naturally heroes to their children. But it’s when things are the most difficult that superheroes lead the way, teach us how to live, show us how to fight, demonstrate by example how to persevere. To take something devastating and use it to inspire. To find our greatest strength in the face of our weakest moments. “Brookelynn is older now and is starting to understand what happened,” Nicolette explains. “She’s starting to comprehend what cancer really is and what happened and it makes her scared. The other day she came out of her room hysterically crying, telling me that she was afraid of dying. I told her that she’s not going to die, but she brings up how Reggie died. And I can’t tell her that I’m going to keep her safe, because in many ways, I can’t. I can’t tell her she’s not going to get sick. I can’t promise that. So I just picked her up and held her and cried with her. I was at a complete loss for words. It’s the worst thing in the world as a parent not to be able to console your child. You want to say the right things, but for the first time I was speechless.”“Everyone has to die. Unfortunately it’s part of life. That’s why I like to bring Brookelynn to my fights. To show her what we can do while we are here, how to live the best way we can. That’s why Mommy does the fundraisers she does. To try to share our story and bring awareness about childhood cancer. So that one day, less children die. I like to bring her along with me so that she can see that there are things we can do to be proactive and not just reactive.”Proactivity is a touchy subject for Nicolette, specifically as it pertains to the gains being made in the field of pediatric cancer research. Speaking with her, it’s clear that the manner in which our society is approaching treatment for children with cancer is something that does not sit well with her, and rightfully so. “Children get 4% of all the funding from the American Cancer Society and they need more than that,” she tells me. “It’s terrible. Most of the medicine we are giving kids has been around for twenty years now, most of it not even FDA approved. There’s nothing new. They’re all trials designed for adults. Once a child is on one, they have to be off of it for so many months before they can start a different treatment. Reggie didn’t have months; he was too sick for that. With the cancer he had, if he relapses after the first course of treatment, it’s terminal. You get one shot.”Cancer kills more than 2,500 of our children each year. More than 13,500 children are diagnosed annually. These are terrifying numbers. But, speaking personally, the most concerning number of them all is 4%. Fundraising efforts for cancer research seem ubiquitous, perpetual, and this is a wonderful thing; but how is protecting our children not the top priority when it comes to all those millions of dollars that are raised?“In today’s age, with today’s medicine, why aren’t we working harder on a cure for pediatric cancer?” she wonders aloud. “Hopefully, by participating in events like Haymakers, I can contribute in some way to a future where less kids are dying.”It’s impossible for me to have this conversation with Nicolette about all the amazing work she’s done to raise money and awareness for finding better treatments for pediatric cancers without imagining myself in her shoes, having to navigate the loss of a young child, a child close in age to my own son. I’d like to think that I’d be out there doing what she’s doing, finding strength in personal devastation, using the experience of my own pain as a means to do all I can to prevent others from that same experience. Or even more simply, I’d like to think that I’d be like her in not shattering into thousands of broken pieces. I’d like to think I could be a superhero, but I can’t know that, not today. If I could have one wish it would be that I would never need to know. The conversation returns to her tattoos and she shows me another, a favorite quote, etched on the inside of her right bicep.It reads, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass; it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”It’s a beautiful day when Nicolette and I part ways. The sun is shining. There’s barely a cloud in the sky. And yet storm clouds will come and no one, young, old, or anywhere in between, can ever really hide from the rain. But it seems as clear as can be, as clear as that beautiful spring sky, that it’s high past time for us to invest more resources on little Superman umbrellas and toddler-sized galoshes. It’s time we do more to keep our children dry, to do more to protect them from the storm.***Chris Randa is a freelance writer, film producer, and special education teacher. He lives with his wife and son in Millis, MA. Check out his work at www.kerpunkerplunk.comand follow him on Twitter at @ChrisRanda
Read more ›Showing 261 to 270 of 445 results