It is a painfully common story to have grown up surrounded by cancer – and mine is no different.

Throughout my life, cancer has been an unwelcome but familiar presence. I watched grandparents and family members face it with strength and vulnerability, and I learned early what it means to hold hope and grief at the same time.

I fight for my grandpa, Glenn, and my grandma, Yvonne, whose battles with leukemia and lung cancer shaped my childhood and whose absence my family feels every day. I fight for my family, who have carried the weight of cancer more than once and stood strong as caregivers and support systems. And I fight for my friends who are walking through this with their own families — none of us fights alone.

Boxing has long been where I’ve found strength, discipline, and community. It’s a place that has taught me how to stay present, trust my body, and keep moving forward. Stepping into the ring for Haymakers for Hope is my way of turning that strength into something bigger: to honor the people I love, to stand with those still fighting, and to help move us toward a future where fewer families have to live this story.