I'm fighting for the ability to be here for you when you need me. 

Cancer made me a motherless daughter long before I became a motherless mother - and cancer had made my mother a fatherless daughter before she became a fatherless mother.  

I'm fighting to break this cycle.

Just shy of my 30th birthday, I received a diagnosis for an uncomplicated and easily resolved form of cancer - but genetic testing indicated I was likely to have my life interrupted by cancer again. So, I took control of what I could... half-a-dozen surgeries later, I've meaningfully reduced my risk. Through the process, I lost the ability to conceive naturally, and ropey scars mark me from my neck to hips. Just shy of my 40th birthday, I've got three healthy kids, and a commitment to be here for them when they need me.

My fight has been one of preemption, but other members of my family have undergone, and continue to undergo, daily battle with debilitating disease and treatment. I am fighting to be here for them, too.

Dana Farber and Memorial Sloan Kettering have been in my corner - please join me in my corner on October 12 to support these organizations.

Not every fight ends at the bell. 

A Message from Haymakers4Hope: 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.