During the coming months, we’ll be highlighting our fighters in training for the upcoming Rumble in the Rockies II in Denver, CO on June 6th. They’ve committed to four months of fundraising and training in preparation to get in the ring and literally fight for a cure. Whether their mom is battling, their father has passed or their friend has put up a victory against the disease – they’ve all got a story to tell and they’ve all got a reason to fight. Below you’ll hear from Madison Garver, fighting out of The Corner Boxing Club.

Where are you from?
Ann Arbor, MI

Where’d you go to college?
University of Michigan

Did you play any sports growing up?
Nope -- I flunked out of soccer and gymnastics as a kid and then stuck to marching band for 8 years in high school and through college.

What do you do for work?
I'm a program manager at Google. I work with our Content team to ensure that we're producing content effectively and efficiently.

Why boxing? Did you ever picture yourself fighting?
I tried a couple of kickboxing classes last year and didn't love the kicking part, so I figured this was a good alternative! I would have NEVER imagined actually fighting, though. I'm used to punching bags, not people.

Why on earth did you sign up to fight??
GREAT QUESTION. I'm still not entirely sure. I recently turned 25 and set some goals for myself this year, two of which were "find a way to give back more" and "prioritize myself and my needs." This fit both of those goals; I'm giving back to a cause that I care about, and I'm prioritizing my health and wellness in the process. I signed up without thinking too much about it. It was more of a gut instinct than anything else.

You’re stepping in the ring to literally fight for a cure - where are you drawing your inspiration from? How has cancer affected you?
I'm fighting to raise funds to support the ChadTough Fund at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The ChadTough Fund was established after Chad Carr lost his battle to Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) at age 5 in 2015. DIPG is a rare, inoperable form of pediatric brain cancer that currently has a 0% survival rate.

I was a student at the University of Michigan when Chad was first diagnosed with DIPG in 2014. Our community rallied around him and his cause. Everyone on campus (and at our rival universities) was #ChadTough. I was in the Michigan Marching Band at the time, and we wore orange ribbons on our uniforms and joined forces with the Spartan Marching Band to spell ChadTough on the field in support of Chad. When he lost his fight to DIPG in 2015, we were all so devastated. The Ann Arbor community was heartbroken. This special little boy had touched the lives of so many people, and we were certain that he'd prevail in his battle against DIPG.

When I was accepted to fight with Haymakers for Hope, I knew that I wanted my fundraising efforts to go towards the ChadTough Fund at Mott. I want to help make sure that no more families get the devastating news that they don't have any hope. I want to help knock out DIPG for good, once and for all.

What is going to be the most difficult thing to give up during your training? (beer, cheeseburgers, time spent watching TV?)
I'm giving up sweets and other desserts. I just put two boxes of Girl Scout cookies in my freezer that I'm not letting myself eat until after the fight. I love Girl Scout cookies. It was a heartbreaking moment.

When you’re not throwing punches and training -- what other hobbies/interests do you have?
When I'm not training or at work, I'm usually attempting to keep my corgi, Pickle, occupied so that she doesn't destroy my apartment. She's cute but evil. I'm also into creative/artsy pursuits, and I'm currently rewatching Game of Thrones before the last season premieres in April.

Who do you think is the most excited to watch you get punched in the face come fight night?
I have some coworkers who will be attending who I imagine will be pretty stoked to see me punched in the face. They claim they're worried for my safety, but deep down I know the truth.

Be sure to check out her fundraising page and wish her! Best of luck, Madison!