Boxing Champs Encourage Kids to Keep Fighting

Kids at Children’s National got a special visit on Nov. 10 from international boxing champions Alicia Ashley, Demarcus Corley, Roberto Duran, Karl Dragan, Heather Hardy, Mark Johnson, Juan LaPorte, Mia St. John, and Chazz Witherspoon. Thanks to the Hope for Henry Foundation, Fight for Children, the World Boxing Council, and World Boxing Cares, the nine boxers visited the hematology/oncology unit and brought smiles to the children’s faces as they posed for photos, signed autographs, and passed out child-sized boxing gloves. See more photos. The visit was part of a week of events leading up to Fight For Children’s annual fundraiser Fight Night on Nov. 13. Dr. Kurt Newman, president and CEO of Children’s National, serves on the board of Fight For Children, which works to ensure that low-income children in Washington can receive a great education and stay healthy. Dr. Newman welcomed the boxers and other guests and thanked them for making it an exciting day for the children, families, and staff. “What makes a health system like Children’s National so special are the things we can do for kids like this only because of the commitment, generosity, and creativity of partners like those represented here today.” He added, "There's a big similarity between the boxing -- the fighters who have had to overcome a lot to get to the championship level -- and these kids and their families who are fighting against hardship. When they get together you can just feel the bonds and it's just wonderful to see." Dr. Newman specifically thanked Hope for Henry Foundation and its founder Laurie Strongin for all the organization has done to make patients’ lives a little brighter. Since it was founded in 2003 to honor the legacy of Henry Strongin Goldberg, who died at age 7 of a rare disease, Hope for Henry has served more than 12,000 children in Washington, DC, and around the country. Hope for Henry improves the lives of children with cancer and other serious illnesses by providing special gifts and programs to entertain and promote comfort, care, and recovery. Read "Boxing Champs Visit Cancer Patients at Children's Hospital" from WTOP.