"You have cancer." February of 2020 I heard the words nobody ever wants to hear. In March, I walked through the doors of Dana Farber for my first visit with my team. The very next day, Covid shut down the world. It would be 4 months before I was able to walk back through those doors for my first surgery. When you know you have cancer, and nothing can be done about it but wait, well, that changes you. I was nervous, worried, humbled, but also determined.

I found the sport of boxing later in life, but I had a passion for it from the very first time I put on gloves. At the time of my cancer diagnosis, I had already been boxing for a few years. Throughout my journey, I was grateful for the outlet and threw all of my energy into it. Even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days. Over the course of 5 months, I underwent 2 surgeries followed by weeks of radiation. I boxed through it all, much to my medical team's chagrin.

One year after my diagnosis, February of 2021, I was declared cancer free. Fighting for Haymakers 4 Hope is a life-changing opportunity that brings together two worlds that I am intensely passionate about into one amazing event. I'm fighting for those that have won, those that have lost and those that are still on their journey. Let's do this together. Let's #KOCancer once and for all.

More 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.