I’m putting my face on the line to #KOCancer because I know first-hand the toll that this disease takes on the people who suffer from it and their families.  And I also know the impact cancer research can make in giving people a fighting chance to live.

You see, when I was 9 years old, my father died from colon cancer.  

My father fought cancer for 3 years before the tumors moved to his liver and ultimately took his life.  My childhood memories include many trips to the hospital to visit him after his surgeries and to accompany him on his many rounds of chemotherapy and radiation treatments.  It was difficult, especially as a child, to watch the impact cancer had on his body, as well as how it consumed so much of our family life.

Despite all the challenges, my father remained relentlessly optimistic even in the times he was most sick.  He loved science and technology and was always on the lookout for new advancements in cancer therapy.  And he didn’t just sit on the sidelines.  He volunteered himself for clinical research trials, including one which led to the development of the implanted chemotherapy pumps that are in common use today. 

Cancer is devastating enough when an adult is diagnosed with the disease.  It is truly heartbreaking when its victim is a child.

I first encountered the impact of childhood cancer in 2008, when our friends’ son Geoffrey died at age 9 from an inoperable tumor.  With little treatment options available the progression of the disease was swift, taking the life of a bright young boy within weeks of his diagnosis. 

And just a few years ago, I had the opportunity to volunteer on a children’s cancer ward at an overseas hospital.  I was struck by how many of the little fighters ultimately succumbed to the disease and sometimes even to the treatment itself.

I know that cancer research works.  My father didn’t survive his bout with cancer, but I am proud that the studies he participated in led to advancements in treatment and increased cancer survivability for others.

We need the same hope for kids who suffer from cancer and their families.  Cancer is the No. 1 disease killer of children in the U.S., yet only a small fraction of the money raised for cancer research every year is directed towards children's cancer.

On November 4th I'll be stepping into the ring to fight for cancer research.  And I am proud to be working with Haymakers for Hope to direct the funds I raise to a pediatric cancer charity, in memory of my father and Geoffrey, and for all cancer families fighting for hope.  

I know my Dad will be in my corner and I hope you will be too.  

I’d be grateful for your donation to this important cause. 

#KOCancer   #Haymakers4Hope