My inspiration to participate in Haymakers began when I was introduced to cancer at a very young age. I lost my cousin Hannah to melanoma and my grandfather GranDon to pancreatic cancer within a couple of years of each other. Witnessing their battles and never wanting to see anyone else have to experience what they did launched my path and eventual career toward research for a cure. Today it all finally culminates with this fight.
Unfortunately, my childhood dream of finding a cure has yet to manifest itself and in the meantime I have witnessed many other close friends and family get the dreaded news.
Thankfully though, there have been many successful stories from my Aunt Karen who’s in full remission from breast cancer for 5 years, my father who caught melanoma at an early stage before it metastasized, and some of my best friends Kevin, Chuck and Mike D all go through their battles with various forms of cancer and come out in control or on top.
Currently, a dear friend of mine Chris continues to defy the odds battling stage IV lung cancer. His love and devotion for his wife and two girls gives him the inspiration he needs to fight day in and day out and he refuses to give up because it is simply not an option.
There is nothing that drives me more than to put myself in any one of these people’s shoes and to fight as they have with dignity and integrity.
My hope is that in a way, participating in Haymakers can provide some hope and inspiration to each of these people who mean so much to me in my life and to fight in honor of those that I’ve lost.