Good news and great fights!

To say this week my family received wonderful news is quite an understatement.  My mom is cancer free.  I let that sit for a bit before I continued this entry.

I’m a live in the present, look ahead, future forward, forget the past kinda girl.  You know, like boxing a “get hit move on” attitude but when I look at those words I can’t help but reflect on the last year.

Hearing about my  mom’s cancer, her chemo, radiation and then recovery and everything else that went along with it.  Reflecting on memories of past losses to this cruel disease and those wounds trying to resurface.

 After my mother in law passed away within 2 weeks of be diagnosed – and her death damn near broke me – I VOWED with every fiber of my being that cancer will never break me again.

Mom (left) Mom in law (right)

Mom    

Whether it happened to me or to someone I loved, it I would not let it get me down or let me give it tears.  I vowed to fight and I’ve not stopped.  On top of the cancer of course there is life to deal with and, as a family, we were dealing with some of that which didn’t help.  Despite it though, we pushed on through and we’re proof that you can rise above despite the harshness and some cruel people in our world.  So, when I look back I can’t help but get all the feels.  Feeling grateful, happy, blessed, excited, hopeful, wishful and more.  It was a tough road for her and tough watching it to say the least.

A little girl power!

Mom and mini in Sudbury last winter.

Mini’s 4th Birthday with Grandma    

The words below are from a childhood friend who 2 surgeries later is doing well.  Still doesn’t know if he’s cancer free but doing well.  I got his news the week before I started training camp for my last fight.

Now, this is my brother and I say, family is not always blood, he’s from another mother.  We grew up together, laughed, cried, fought with and for one another so this love runs deep.  Like my mom’s news it’s knocked the wind out of me and on top of it he was depressed, sad, in shock, ready to give up etc.  I did not let it shake me!  After long talks and texts he sent me this note and added that he had new outlook after he took in all we talked about.  Insert my tears here – not because of cancer but because I lifted someone, even for a little bit, I could help.  I told him to think of me training, sweating, working hard and that it was for him.  Told him to feel that strength and that he’d get through it.  All of my fights have had some kind of deeper meaning to me and the training and boxing has always given me a sense of calm, a solice that I can’t articulate but I can feel it.  So you see, didn’t matter the outcome of the fight.  I won before I stepped into that ring that night.

This ink was done around the time mom was diagnosed.

“Defeat is not an Option”

My appointment was to work on my leg sleeve and was scheduled months in advance but that morning I changed my mind.  When I got there and started explaining to my artist I had a few moments…..and he let me have it you know.  It was more around what the words meant and symbolized vs omg fu cancer.  I’ve known him a long time so no judgment and no questions.  Just real and we had some real talk for the next few hours on cancer, fighting (he’s boxing and UFC fan), people and family and it was what I needed apparently because when I left I felt like a new person….with new ink which is always a bonus.  The words DEFEAT IS NOT AN OPTION run deep for me and my Fight to End Cancer  family.  We all know somebody, whether directly or indirectly, who has been touched by cancer and it’s all of our fight to fight for a cure.  My family and I do it in the both the literal and figurative sense.  And this weekend was no different and it was a great fighting weekend indeed!

Friday November 24, 2017 was a night out sans mini which is rare!  Mom was in town so she had both grandma and auntie time.  Side comment I’ll share, totally unrelated but will be next month as babe and I celebrate twenty years!  I had to meet him at the event and on the way there I can feel myself getting so excited to see him.  Like smiling on the inside, giddy, butterflies and stuff, do I look ok etc – sure, sure probably happy to be out with adults, but I gotta take some of the cuteness an cheesy-ness and go with it for a minute right!!

So back to Friday.  As part of the annual Gentleman’s Expo downtown Toronto, Kingsway Boxing Club and Fight to End Cancerhosted a boxing event within the event itself.  What a great night of amateur fights and support to a cause that effects us all.  Yes, it affects us all.  Each and every one of us will be touched by cancer in our lifetime and it is all of our responsibility to raise awareness and to keep fighting.  Each of the fighters had their own personal story to share and their reason for fighting and most of all,  they were honored to be a part of the event.  I had my favorites for each of the bouts BUT my cheers were for all the fighters.  They did a great thing to say the least.  It was quite the night especially ending with the Fabings leaving a tad richer on date night with Ashley winning the 50/50 draw.  Yes really.  HA!

I’ve seen people fight in many many ways over the last few years and Mariela and her annual Survivor Bootcamp is no different.  I can gush about this amazing woman all day because she is so inspiring but I’ll some it up to someone who (as she puts it), is living her purpose.  A cancer survivor herself giving back the best way she knows how.  She shares her own story freely and is deeply passionate about what she’s doing and radiates.  She get’s to you and you can’t help but stop and just do as she says – and think about her the next day when your fit and so called in shape self is hurting in so many different places from the ass kicking she gave lol.  Saturday, November 25, 2017 my little family and I attend her event where she delivered a kick-ass 1 hours sweat sesh with proceeds going to Fight to End Cancer which benefits The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.

Mariela and I

Represent!

So indeed a wonderful way to end a week of really amazing news and while the first half of the year seemed like an eternity,  as a family we pushed through.