These were the words of my late aunt, Laurie Beechman, whose middle name was in fact Hope. My aunt lost her battle with ovarian cancer just shy of her 45th birthday in 1998, but the courage and spirit with which she fought her disease embody the mission of Haymakers for Hope, and I am honored to be participating in the fight to knock out cancer!. My Aunt Laurie was a Broadway performer at the peak of her career, having starred as Grizabella in Cats and set to take on the role of Fantine in Les Miserables when she was first diagnosed in 1988. Though facing a daunting prognosis, she was determined to fight, to keep moving forward, and in 1990 made her return to Broadway in Les Mis. She continued to perform on Broadway for another 7 years, recording three studio albums on the way. While she is greatly missed by my family and so many others, her life and the way she lived it continue to inspire. She kept moving, kept fighting, and never gave up hope. The fight goes on!