When my sister Jenni Bonham received a pair of mini pink boxing gloves from Kara Frazier in 2011, I had no idea how much they would change my life too.
At the time, I had no idea how powerful the meaning behind the gloves would become. I did not yet understand what cancer truly does to a person. I did not understand what it means to be a caretaker. I did not know how deeply you can love someone by simply cheering them on.
This sisterhood began when my best friend Judy shared Jenni’s information with Kara upon Jenni’s diagnosis. That moment helped spark the inspiration that eventually led to Fighting Pretty.
From that moment on, I found myself surrounded by incredible women. I watched them support one another. I watched them gather strength from a simple pair of pink gloves. I watched them fight cancer with courage, beauty, and grace. I watched as the gloves and the strength they represented were passed on to each one of them by another strong, beautiful woman during their cancer journey.
These were the women who held the original pair of gloves: Kara, Jenni, Dorothy, Jan, and Sandy, with their final journey back to Jenni, bringing the story full circle.
Each of them kept the gloves close, a reminder of how strong and fierce they truly were.
It was one of the greatest honors of my life to stand beside these women. To witness their resilience. To learn from their spirit. To feel the power of sisterhood in its purest form.
Those gloves did more than travel from woman to woman. They opened my heart. They taught me what strength looks like. They showed me that no one fights alone.
And that is where my journey with Fighting Pretty began.
I am truly honored to be a part of Fighting Pretty’s mission. It fills my heart to empower women on their cancer journey. To help them feel strong. To remind them that they are beautiful. To let them know they are never alone. Being part of their fight is one of the greatest honors of my life.
Big love and gratitude to my tribe, Kara, Judy, Dana, Maryann, John, Tara, Morgan, and Zachary. Your love is the reason I can keep going. Because of you, I can take Jenni’s legacy and turn it into strength for someone else’s fight.
To our Fighting Pretty Community, Keep Fighting Pretty. You are strong and beautiful.
From left: Jan Boname, Kara Frazier, Carol "Bean" Sopp, Judy Hafner and Dorothy Schilder. In loving memory of Sandy Sopp and Jenn Boname.
To make a purchase a pair of gloves or make a donation in memory of someone you love, visit www.fightingpretty.org.