I hate Cancer. It’s a horrific disease that impacts all of us.

Cancer took my grandmother Irene McGowan, an amazing and incredibly strong woman who helped raise me, 11 years ago. I watched her battle first hand as I was living with my grandparents at the time. No one should ever have to go through the pain that she went through. It was gut wrenching. I remember thinking that I wish there was a cure, I wish there was something that I could do to help.

Several years later, my college roommate and one of my best friends Sean Marcaurelle lost his battle with cancer. This was a guy who could take on anything - a marine, full of life, greatest guy in the world who would literally give you the shirt off his back. He fought hard, did all the treatments, never showed any pain or weakness but I know his fight was brutal, just like it was for my grandmother, for him and for all of his loved ones there by his side.

Not too long after Sean passed, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She started doing chemo and radiation right away as her cancer was fairly advanced. I remember thinking, “Please God, not mom. Don’t let cancer take her from us.” Her journey was also an incredibly difficult one. She lost her hair, was constantly sick from treatments, and much more. Fortunately though, my mom beat it into remission (after 2 surgeries, 5 rounds of chemo and 88 treatments of radiation). She was one of the few lucky ones.

I am fighting because this is my way, my sacrifice for doing something to knock out cancer. I am going to give four months of my life to train, sweat and push myself harder than I have ever pushed myself before so that others might not have to go through what my grandmother, friend and mother had to endure. By raising money through Haymakers, we hope to help give lifesaving researchers the resources needed to fully focus their efforts on finding a cure. Please help us beat this horrible disease.