Oliver Churchill, a 37-year-old manager from Doncaster, stepped into the boxing ring earlier this year to raise vital funds for the hospital team currently caring for his mother. He raised more than £2,400 after taking part in an Ultra White-Collar Boxing match to support the Chatsfield Suite at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.
Motivation from his mother's diagnosis
His mother, Jean, was diagnosed with cancer in September 2025 after tumours were found in her lung, liver and back. Oliver said, “When she told me she had cancer, it was like getting punched in the face.” He explained that the care his mum received from the hospital team was 'brilliant'. He said: “Mum has spoken about the care and how brilliant the nurses are, but also the community feeling of the Chatsfield Suite amongst the patients.”
Training and the big fight
Nicknamed 'The Ghost', Oliver trained tirelessly for more than eight weeks with expert coaching from the Doncaster Martial Arts Centre. Around 2,000 people packed into Doncaster Racecourse on the night of the event to cheer on the fighters. Oliver entered the arena to a song by Elvis Presley, who is his mum’s favourite singer. He said: “I won’t lie, it’s quite an exciting feeling doing the ring walk. When I got in the ring, I could see my mum in the crowd, which only increased my focus.”
Victory and positive news
After three hard-fought rounds, Oliver emerged victorious in front of the supportive local crowd. He said: “The first people I saw afterwards were my family, which was really nice. It’s a good feeling knowing I’ve done something productive and raised money.” Following the match, Oliver and his family also received some positive news about Jean’s treatment. He said: “I just hope more families in Doncaster get the same news as we did.”
Oliver found extra motivation to fundraise after hearing about other patients his age with young children. He said: “I think people in Doncaster deserve to have the best treatment available to them.” To support Oliver’s fundraising, visit his Ultra White Collar Boxing fundraising page.
