AUSTIN, Texas — The Austin community came together on Sunday to help the owner of a local kickboxing gym fighting stage 4 cervical cancer.
On June 21, Knockout Austin posted on Instagram that its owner, Melissa LeBaron, has been privately battling cancer for the past year.
LaBaron's decision to confide in her Knockout community came after the cancer dangerously spread through her body and was told her initial treatment wasn't working.
"I was already starting to be a little bit more absent, you know, with treatment and everything, and I knew that I was going to start needing more support, " said LaBaron.
And the response became immediate from both regulars and newcomers.
On Sunday, the gym held six classes to raise money for her next stage of treatment. It also sold special T-shirts and food.
“We reached out to our regulars who come here all the time to ask if they can help with food, drink, their time,” said Ramona Von Leden, an instructor at Knockout Austin. “That people are getting the word and sharing whether they’ve ever been here or not, that says a lot, right? Austin’s a really special place, and it shows when everybody comes together like this.”
LaBaron said it wasn't entirely surprising to see all the support from the community considering they had been with her through the pandemic and when the ice storm forced them to rebuild the studio. But all the same, it was a touching reminder to LaBaron that she would never be alone in whatever battle she faces.
"It fills my heart with so much love, and I don't even know how to explain how generous they've been to me," said LaBaron.
But the fight is not just for herself as it is for her 12-year-old daughter.
”Navigating this as a child is difficult because there are certain things that they, you know, that you can't share with them," said LaBaron. "So, the only thing I really can do is just to show my strength and to let her know that mom is doing the best she can."
Von Leden said anyone wanting to help can donate at the gym or through a GoFundMe page set up by LeBaron’s sister. They aim to raise $140,000 for a type of cutting-edge treatment not covered by insurance. As of 8 p.m. on Sunday, the page had raised more than $111,000 from 352 donations.
“It’s just really exciting to see the community come together in such a big way and so fast,” said Von Leden. “[LeBaron] only announced [her diagnosis] about a week ago, but we know time is of the essence in this type of situation. So, the faster we can get her money so that she can get started on treatment, the better.”