About

Organized by: Muay Thai DragonMartial Arts
1808 Rt. 37 E, Unit 9
Toms River, NJ 08753
www.tomsirverkickboxing.com
Phone: 732-288-0102

Why are we here?

Every week or so we hear about this Celebrity or that Celebrity or a friend of a friend or a neighbor's cousin who has been stuck down or is battling Breast Cancer. We hear these stories over and over again. "Did you hear? John down the street - his mother's sister has Breast Cancer!" We talk about it for a few minutes and while we feel for these people, we continue on with our lives unaffected by the news.

Then suddenly one day you wake up and now it has hit home....you or your loved one has been diagnosed with this dreaded disease. We cannot truly understand the devastation that this disease has on everyday life until it happens to us or we make it a point to want to help now before it happens to us.

Five years ago, I lost my mother suddenly to Breast Cancer at age 59. She didn't even have a chance to fight the disease. She was a woman who was always busy helping others, always running around like nothing could stop her. She was regular with her exams and Dr. visits but some how it was missed. The disease presented itself in another form that was mistaken for something else. Tests were run and then eventually 2 or 3 diagnosis later, we were told she had Breast Cancer but it had already metastasized into bone cancer and they found a tumor at the base of her skull. She received one treatment of Chemo and that was all she had.

After first going into the hospital 2 Days before her 59th Birthday in April, my mother lost the battle to cancer in just 3 short months. My family and I had to say our good-byes on July 20, 2005 to one of the most loving and caring women to ever walk the face of this earth.

While this story is touching and heartbreaking so are all the other stories about families who have lost loved ones to Breast Cancer. Then there are all the remarkable stories about survivors of Breast Cancer. What we need now are the most remarkable stories of all.....that Breast Cancer and any Cancer for that matter is NO MORE! That they have found a cure. That no woman ever has to be afraid of her yearly exam - afraid to find out if there is a lump or worse - ever again.

How did we get started?.....

My Name is Dianna LaVecchia, I am the owner/head instructor (Kru) of Muay Thai Dragon Martial Arts in Toms River, NJ. In July 2005, I lost my mother to Breast Cancer. Since then I have been wanting to do something to help find a cure for Breast Cancer and even all forms of cancer.

I have thought long and hard of what could I possibly do to help. I am not a scientist, I don't know anything about medicine, I am certainly not rich.

But I did think to myself, I own a Kickboxing school! I talk to people everyday and inevitably, I talk to someone who knows someone who is currently battling or recently lost the battle against breast cancer. I then realized there are a lot more people like me who want to do something to help.

With this knowledge, my husband and I decided to start a fundraising program - Kickboxing for the Cure!

I looked up a few organizations who are doing great things to raise awareness and money to help fight the battle against breast cancer. I decided on having my organization support Susan G. Komen for the Cure Central and South Jersey.