After her 15-year-old son survived a suicide attempt, Loughborough psychotherapist Agnieszka Stefaniak turned to boxing to rebuild her life and raise funds for the Mental Health Foundation. She competed in an Ultra White Collar Boxing (UWCB) match at Leicester's Club Republic, fighting to a draw and raising over £400 for the charity.
A Mother's Ordeal and a Turning Point
Two weeks before her 45th birthday, Stefaniak's son attempted suicide, suffering severe injuries including a fractured spine and broken hip. The trauma plunged her into depression and anger, but three days before her birthday, as her son returned from hospital, she realized something had to change. "After one particularly dark day, I knew that something needed to change or I would look back with regret," she said.
Stefaniak, who works as a psychotherapist, sought an outlet for her emotions and discovered UWCB, which offers eight weeks of free professional boxing training before a showcase event. She trained at John Skillen Martial Arts and Fitness Centre under coach John Skillen.
Training as Therapy
The training proved transformative, providing a constructive way to channel her pain. "After just two weeks of training, all the anger I was feeling had completely disappeared," Stefaniak recalled. "My body may have ached from the hard sessions, but the impact on my mental health completely outweighed anything physical."
She praised the trainers for making her feel welcome, especially as one of the few women in the gym. "The trainers allowed me to believe that women in their mid-40s are true fighters," she said.
Fight Night and Fundraising
On the night, Stefaniak competed against Jade in a closely-contested match declared a draw. She walked out to Sia's 'Unstoppable', a song that became her anthem during training, and chose the nickname 'Agnieszka the Unstoppable'."I didn't feel too nervous on the night, as in a way it felt like my victory lap," she said. "I was a completely different person to one I was a year ago."
Participants are asked to raise at least £50 for charity; Stefaniak raised over £400 for the Mental Health Foundation. Her son has since physically recovered and completed his GCSEs after repeating a year at school.
Impact and Future Events
Reflecting on her journey, Stefaniak said, "I have boxing to thank for that - it gave me my zest for life back!" She encourages others to participate, saying, "Go for it, you will never live to regret it."
Ultra Events has raised £45m for charity to date. The next UWCB event in Loughborough takes place on Saturday, November 21, with training beginning in September.
