Local Women Use Boxing Skills To Fight Breast Cancer
MEDFORD (CBS) -- Working together to deliver a knockout punch to breast cancer. That's the goal of "Haymakers for Hope," and for the first time the fight card is all women, fighting for a cause.
They're calling this one the Belles of the Brawl, an amateur event where all the boxers compete in their first sanctioned bouts.
We caught up with some of the boxers, training at the Quietman Gym in Medford. Most of the money raised goes to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and for some of the fighters, this is personal.
"My sister is a breast cancer survivor. And I thought, I want to be part of something that uniquely challenges yourself," says Mary Rubenis, one of the boxers in the competition.
"I'm a woman in my mid thirties and it could happen to me, and I just wanted to do something about it and be pro-active," says Kristen Mercier, another boxer.
It's the brainchild of an organization called Haymakers for Hope, a partnership between boxers, local gyms and volunteers. They're all working together for a common goal.
"I was completely inspired. It's a great organization raising money for cancer and doing something I love to do, which is boxing," says Karen Areyzaga.
This will be the 4th Boston fundraiser, the first with an all female card.
"On Oct. 17th we are putting on an event with 11 fights. So 22 women, and all the proceeds will go to breast cancer research and awareness," says Andrew Myerson, one of the co-founders of Haymakers for Hope. "We've raised about a million and a half dollars in a little more than 2 years," he adds.
There's a lot of charity events, but boxing is something that has given me inner strength and focus," says Mary Rubenis. And the fighters will share that in the ring, working together to bring hope.
"I hope it helps to find a cure and end that horrible disease," says Kristen Mercier.
The Belles of the Brawl fundraiser is on Thursday, Oct. 17th at the Royale Nightclub in Boston.
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