Thank you so much to the entire Haymakers for Hope crew for making this event possible for all of us! I'm dedicating this fight to my incredible mother. I owe you everything and I can't put into words how much I thank you for your love, support, generosity, kindness, patience, and general wonderfulness. You make me better every day and I'm not sure what I did to deserve you. I love you!

My father died from leukemia at age 36, when I was six years old and my sister Katherine was three. I have a precious handful of memories of him that run through my head every day, some of which are him in the hospital where he spent the majority of the last year of his life. Even though he is someone that I didn't get the chance to know, he leaves small gifts for me to discover as I get older. Books I love that I find out he loved also; music I listen to that I later find out was a favorite of his - I recognize pieces of him in me and I see pieces of him in Kat. I think that's how he keeps being our dad - cancer couldn't take that.

We were too young to remember most of what happened during that fight, but I know that that's exactly what he did - fight. Now, after so many years, Haymakers is giving me the opportunity to fight back. I'm fighting to raise money to combat this horrible disease and awareness of how swiftly and quietly this disease can strike. Michael Cocca was a good man and cancer doesn't care if you've been an athlete all your life, if you're smart, if you're funny, or if there are people in your life that depend on you. For all of the parents out there, please don't put off that annual physical - take care of yourself so you can be there for the ones that love you.  

For the next four months, I'm handing my life over to my training schedule, so when the big night comes I can give this everything I've got. For my Grandpa Joe, my father's father, who also lost a battle with leukemia in 2013. For my wonderful friends, family, colleagues, and these 31 amazing ladies that I get to share this journey with. For my sister and my mom, the cornerstones of my life. And to remember my amazing dad. 

I'm so honored to be a part of the Haymakers family and I can't believe we get to do this. Let's go, Belles!! 

<3

 

About Haymakers for Hope:

We give everyday men and women the opportunity to fight back against this terrible disease by training for, and competing in charity boxing events to raise money and awareness. To prepare for each event, we combine the efforts of the first time amateur boxing participants, local boxing gyms and volunteers. We hope to help give life-saving researchers the resources needed to fully focus their efforts on finding a cure.