A Boxing Gym for People with Parkinson’s Disease has to Find a New Home – wlfi.com

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Rock Steady Boxing is looking to help people knock out their Parkinson's disease. On December 15, they'll have to move out of their current gym, and find a new home.

Owner of Rock Steady Boxing, Chad Welch, opened the boxing gym, BoxFit, back in December of 2020. He signed a three year lease with the goal of helping people suffering from Parkinson's Disease through boxing.

"We will see improvement in gate, and in balance. There will be people who walk in with a cane, and forget it on the way out," Welch said.

Welch said he is not in for the money. In fact, he paid for the gym, and the equipment, all out of his own pocket.

"I lost my job during the pandemic in 2020. I haven't taken a pay check since we've opened it," he said.

His passion for helping people with Parkinson's Disease comes from a personal connection.

"My mom has Parkinson's. We actually moved her from central Illinois to Lafayette. She is one of my boxers," Welch said.

The three year lease ends at the end of this year. He says rent is doubling as well.

"Now we're looking for some way to keep the program going for our Rock Steady Boxers to make sure the people with Parkinson's are still being served, and getting the help they need locally," he said.

The future of Rock Steady Boxing next home is uncertain. Welch is not ready to give up on his boxers.

"The Parkinson's community is so special. They're such a great group of people. It's so fulfilling to see the progress they make," Welch said.

He wants to have a new gym location by the middle of January.

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