I’m stepping into the boxing ring for more than just a fight—I’m doing it for my family, my past, and my hope for a future where fewer people have to hear the words “you have cancer.”

On October 28, 2008, I lost my dad to brain cancer. That day changed my life forever. Cancer didn’t just take someone I loved; it reshaped my family and left a permanent mark on who I am. Watching my dad go through that battle—seeing the strength it took just to get through each day—was devastating, but it also planted a seed in me. It’s what inspired me to become a nurse, so I could be there for people in their most vulnerable moments and help patients facing trauma, loss, and grief, just like my family did.

Years later, cancer returned to my life when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Watching her fight was terrifying, exhausting, and inspiring all at once. Today, she is in remission—a word that carries more weight and gratitude than I can fully explain. Her strength reminds me that progress is possible, that research saves lives, and that hope is real.

Boxing is one of the hardest things I’ve ever chosen to do. It demands discipline, resilience, and the willingness to keep standing when everything in you wants to stop. In many ways, it mirrors what my parents faced—fighting through pain, uncertainty, and fear. Every punch I throw is for my dad, who never got the chance to win his fight, and for my mom, who did. It’s for every family that’s been changed by cancer, and every person still fighting.

By boxing in this amateur event, I’m turning grief into purpose and pain into action. The money raised will go directly toward cancer research, helping fund the breakthroughs that give families more time, more options, and more hope.

This fight is personal. It’s emotional. And it’s worth it. Thank you for supporting me, believing in this cause, and standing with me in the fight against cancer.