I was in the emergency room when the doctor came in and told my mom that they found a mass on her ovary. I remember shaking if off thinking there was no way she had cancer. A few weeks later, my initial denial became a reality - she had ovarian cancer. As troubling as this news was for all of us, I knew SHE would fight back - WE would fight this diagnosis together. As I sit here writing about why I signed up to do this, it's because she won her battle and now I want to help others do the same!

Cancer is unfair. It's invasive, painful and unbiased. It doesn't care how old you are, your gender or the positive impact you have on the world. My aunt Joan, a beloved teacher who kids adore, fought through her breast cancer diagnosis. My brother-in-law Ryan, an army vet, continually braves through surgeries as cancer reappears every few years. My friends and their families, who have battled through remission and loss, continue to pick up the pieces and forge ahead.

Then there was this little boy....

At one of my first jobs out of college, we hosted a fundraising event for a three-year-old boy who was diagnosed with stage-4 Neuroblastoma. This was the first time I ever knew a child with cancer. During the event, he was so filled with excitement and laughter that it hit me how resilient children are and how cruel cancer is. About six months later, this little boy lost his brave battle and it has stayed with me ever since. 

So here I go. I'm stepping into the ring to #KOCancer because I get to choose this battle unlike those who are diagnosed. My mom credits Dana Farber with saving her life so all the funds that you donate will go directly to that organization. With your help, we can save more lives and knock-out cancer!

In the words of Tom Brady, (a man, that maybe my mom might just love a little more than me - that's okay though) "LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"