The best friend of my high school son lost his father to cancer last fall. Sitting at the funeral, I found myself marveling at the strength of the family while also sharing the sadness of such a profound loss. Sitting there also took me back, not only to the funerals of my wife’s father who succumbed to cancer at a young age and my mother who passed away from cancer shortly after retiring from her teaching career but also to the funerals of the many relatives, friends, classmates and coworkers taken over the years by cancer. As I sat there, I thought about those for whom I pray each morning who are fighting this disease today – among them, Alyssa Rotman, the daughter of a friend who continues her long, brave battle. These are prayers of hope, not resignation. We all have stories like these -- cancer strikes universally and indiscriminately. That funeral last fall weighed on my heart – prodding me to do something more than an annual donation to Dana Farber. Haymakers for Hope provides me with that opportunity. I’m a private person who has never done a fundraiser. This event is pulling me out of my comfort zone – both in terms of asking people to donate and stepping into a ring in a crowded forum. But any personal unease is a small price to pay if the money raised for Dana Farber contributes to a positive outcome for even one person struggling with cancer.