Allison Holker and Stephen 'tWitch' Boss Keep Their Marriage Strong by Working Together on Philanthropy
Allison Holker and Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss never miss a chance to dance — especially when it’s for a greater good!
The married duo has teamed up with I Am a Dancer Against Cancer to raise awareness for the charity, which provides financial support to individuals in the dance community and their families who have been impacted by cancer.
In the first sweet clip, tWitch surprises super fan and cancer survivor, Emma McDonald, who looks up to tWitch as her dance hero and praises him for being “a very genuine person” who’s “extremely kind and caring.” McDonald was diagnosed with osteosarcoma cancer in her left femur when she was 15, right after a national competition with her dance team.
“After that, I was nine months cancer free and right as I went in to do my scans, I found out that I relapsed with metastatic osteosarcoma in my lungs,” McDonald says.
tWitch opened up to PEOPLE about his mother and grandfather’s own experiences with cancer and how those difficult times brought them all closer together.
“My grandfather is a cancer survivor and my mother is a breast cancer survivor,” says tWitch, who “started dancing the moment that I could balance on my legs.”
“It comes out of nowhere, and these people that you saw growing up as almost invincible … you know, my grandfather could do anything and my mother is easily the strongest woman I know,” he adds. “It really pulls you together as a family. It sucks when cancer comes to visit, but when you put a little love on it and bind together as a group, the chances of it sticking around are very, very low.”
Holker, who also joined the initiative in May alongside her husband, cancer survivor and actress Christina Applegate, and Dance Moms star Maddie Ziegler are all taking part in the campaign.
Aside from McDonald, young inspiring dancers and cancer survivors Caitlyn Feddock, Valory Newton and Nala Ford, also joined the group.
“Being here today with those kids was incredible,” says Holker. “They have these amazing spirits about them that they enjoy life and they’re enjoying every bit of it and nothing can stop them.”
Just like tWitch, Holker had to be at her strongest when the disease was making her heart feel its weakest.
“One of my dearest friends and mentors in my life, Denise Wall, she had breast cancer a few years ago, and it was really, really hard,” she says. “To see her body almost working against her was so hard and with our strength together, with that bond that we all shared in the dance community, and with our leaning hands to hold her, she survived.
Applegate and her foundation, Right Action for Women (RAW), which advocates healthy living and provides advanced screening assistance to women with an increased risk of breast cancer, will be honored by DAC at the Industry Dance Awards hosted by TV Personality Keltie Knight and co-host choreographer Cris Judd on August 16 in Hollywood. Supporters can donate and buy tickets now.
