Episode 035
From Pro Boxer to Cancer Survivor And Still Throwing Punches for Good with Shane Schwartz
He spent decades training for fights in the ring. But the biggest one? It showed up uninvited, with no gloves and no warning.
Shane Swartz grew up in the boxing world – breaking records at 7, training under his dad, and going pro by the time most kids were still learning long division. But in his 40s, mid-sparring session with one of his fighters, he felt a lump on his neck. What followed wasn’t a title bout – it was cancer. Stage: terrifying. Timing: brutal. Twin toddlers at home. A wife. No backup plan.
In this raw and powerful episode, Shane shares how he approached his cancer diagnosis like a training camp, how his faith and community kept him from breaking, and why he turned his fight into fuel for others – launching a nonprofit boxing event that raises money for people with cancer (not research labs, not hospital systems – actual humans fighting the fight). We talk fatherhood, medical debt, masculinity, grief, grit, and what really matters when life takes a swing at you.
If you’ve ever wondered how to turn pain into purpose – or just needed a reminder that love is louder than fear – Shane’s story will hit you right in the gut. In the best way.
“I treated cancer like a training camp. Some days were long, some sucked – but I came to win.”
Connect with MAMA KATE:
- Website: kocbc.org
- Instagram: instagram.com/knockoutcancerboxingclub
- Facebook: facebook.com/shane.swartz.12
Timestamps:
00:00 – Pro boxer, coach, husband, dad – and then, a lump
02:22 – Diagnosed with cancer on his 10-year anniversary
04:15 – Why emotional pain hit harder than physical chemo
06:19 – Letting people in – and learning to receive support
08:31 – “I treated it like training camp” – battling cancer like a boxer
09:26 – The irony of throat cancer (with no tobacco history)
10:25 – From provider to patient – how it shook his identity
13:00 – $600 paychecks and medical debt – his family’s reality
14:18 – What actually matters when life throws its hardest punch
15:56 – The birth of Knockout Cancer Boxing Club
17:26 – Beds, trips, and dignity – what this nonprofit really funds
18:53 – Still coaching – from 5-year-olds to wheelchair athletes
20:30 – Why boxing is called “the sweet science” (and how it builds character)
22:35 – Raising respectful kids without repeating his dad’s hardness
23:29 – Grit vs. comfort – why he thinks our culture’s losing something
25:07 – How to connect with Shane and support Knockout Cancer