Livestrong helps my sister

[ericspin]

You know, say what you will about Lance's eccentricities around the bike and racing and his personal life but what he does for cancer sufferers and survivors is pretty special. My sister had Hodgkins about 25 years ago and, by all accounts, has been in remission. Unfortunately, this week she was diagnosed with a breast tumor that will require a mastectomy and a PET scan has located several other issues that will require more testing next week.

A friend of hers is active in the 3 day organization and had access to one of the LIVESTRONG notebooks that is a diary and many other things for someone going through this. I felt proud to be a cyclist and somehow associated with all that movement as she and I talked earlier. I found some unwrapped LIVESTRONG bands in my cycling stuff and broke one out to wear during her fight to support her. Lance does some fantastic stuff through his foundation for these cancer sufferers and survivors.

my $0.02

Eric

[PBWrench]

Very best wishes for your sister! I am a big fan of Livestrong and raise $ for them every year. The resources they offer are tremendously helpful. Best, PBW

[stevep]

good luck and best wishes to you and to her.

hope all goes well in the battle.

[Dave Hickey]

Best wishes for your sister... my thoughts and prayers are with her..

I'm going on 14 years being cancer free and the Lance Armstrong Foundation has been a huge part of my life for the last 10 years....

LiveStrong..

[pedalcr8z]

I sincerely hope she pulls out of it as Lance did. I had the opportunity to ride with him at the Race 2 Replace event last year at the Indianapolis 500 track. I was within a few feet of him and we kept paving the way for several cancer stricken children that were also riding to get right along side of him and it was quite special to watch Lance ride with them holding hands. He is a true class act!

[csm]

I wish the best for your sister.

[dave thompson]

Our prayers for your sister.

[avalonracing]

It can be kinda easy to wear a wristband yet take things for granted until it hits home.

I've known a lot of people who do 'Team In Training' for Leukemia and I have donated money to them whenever asked. This past fall a client of mine mentioned that she had recently do some work with Team In Training and I joked, "Wow, you too? With so many people doing Team In Training Leukemia should be pretty much cured, right?"

Well, one we later my mother was unexpectedly diagnosed with... Leukemia.

My mother starts her bone marrow transplant at Hopkins in ten days and I'm really glad that there are all those people out there riding their bikes and running with Team In Training.

[Kevan]

He's done wonders fighting the illness. All the best to you and your sister.

[jeffg]

It can be kinda easy to wear a wristband yet take things for granted until it hits home.

I've known a lot of people who do 'Team In Training' for Leukemia and I have donated money to them whenever asked. This past fall a client of mine mentioned that she had recently do some work with Team In Training and I joked, "Wow, you too? With so many people doing Team In Training Leukemia should be pretty much cured, right?"

Well, one we later my mother was unexpectedly diagnosed with... Leukemia.

My mother starts her bone marrow transplant at Hopkins in ten days and I'm really glad that there are all those people out there riding their bikes and running with Team In Training.

My father, who rode 200 miles a week even in illness passed away (leukemia) when I was in high school.

My mom has had her breast cancer recur after ten years and is fighting to stick with us as long as she can.


Leukemia treatment has come a long way since 1989 and the key take away is that there is always hope. Hopkins is a fantastic place (my father in law was treated there for cancer, my brother in law was a surgeon there and my mother in law was a nurse there). Your mom is in good hands.

My view of Lance as a person is tied to seeing him with kids with cancer here in the Bay Area. Say what you will but he gave those kids all the atention one could ask for and you could tell he was on the verge of tears but gutted through and was strong for them. I am sure he is a tough person to get along with, but his impact for the good will likely be far greater than mine will ever be.

Be strong and love to your mom

[Elefantino]

I will never, ever forget the kindness the LAF showed to my mom during RFTR weekend in '01. It's a great organization.

All our prayers to your sister and to the rest of your family during this time.

Best,
Mike

[ericspin]

Thanks guys. I appreciate the responses and plan to guide my sister to the forum as a guest so that she can see your well wishes. Thanks a ton.

Eric

[Fixed]

i hope things get better real soon , laf does some good stuff for people ..

[RABikes2]

My thoughts and prayers are with your sister, Eric. Be strong and positive.
Ritaann

[sjbraun]

I never gave much thought to the Team in Training riders I would encounter every year in El Tour de Tucson, (except to watch out for large packs of them riding 4 and 5 abreast.) That all changed 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocyctic leukemia, CLL. Its amazing to me ( and gratifying and reassuring, that so many people are dedicated to raising money to find a cure for people in my position. (Just yesterday, over 30 Team in training runners from Tucson ran the PF CHang's marathon in Phx, raising over 90K.)

So far I have not needed treatment, the docs call my stage "wait and watch", but often it becomes "wait and worry."
I still do everything I did before I was diagnosed, because if I didn't have abnormal lab values to look at, I'd have no idea that I was ill.
The yellow wristband helps me to remember to make the most of each day and be grateful for them too.

Steve

[Fixed]

I never gave much thought to the Team in Training riders I would encounter every year in El Tour de Tucson, (except to watch out for large packs of them riding 4 and 5 abreast.) That all changed 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocyctic leukemia, CLL. Its amazing to me ( and gratifying and reassuring, that so many people are dedicated to raising money to find a cure for people in my position. (Just yesterday, over 30 Team in training runners from Tucson ran the PF CHang's marathon in Phx, raising over 90K.)

So far I have not needed treatment, the docs call my stage "wait and watch", but often it becomes "wait and worry."
I still do everything I did before I was diagnosed, because if I didn't have abnormal lab values to look at, I'd have no idea that I was ill.
The yellow wristband helps me to remember to make the most of each day and be grateful for them too.

Steve
bro i DO know what you mean this helps me no one knows what the next day will bring and enjoy each day ... hug your loved ones everyday and don't be afraid to say i love you ..imho
cheers

[fixednwinter]

Eric;

My partner, Nancy, and myself, wish you and your sister all the best.

Nancy was not a bike racing fan at all until she was diagnosed with skin cancer. This was right in the middle of Lance's domination of the Tour in the early 2000's. Reading about his story, reading the materials from the LAF, really gave her a lot of strength and she's now a rabid follower of the pro bike scene.

When the cancer came back a couple of years later, the yellow wristbands had just been released. This too, helped her through this difficult time. Mr. Armstrong was scheduled for an appearance in Toronto at a seminar in the fall of 2004, and I contacted the organizers to see if there was a chance for Nancy to meet Mr. Armstrong. The organizers were extremely helpful and said that Mr. Armstrong does indeed makes time to talk to people with cancer and that they would try to arrange this.

In the end, I didn't pursue this further, as the seminar was around the same time that Nancy would be recovering from her third (and successful) operation on the cancer. Whatever Mr. Armstrong is like in person, we don't know: but certainly the inspiration he generates, and the money and work he's put into his foundation helped Nancy through a difficult time and we're grateful for that.

[Nick H.]

I had testicular cancer once and have raised a bit of cash for LAF, although I'm British. I'm not really clear on how LAF helps patients. Can anyone enlighten me?

Over here we have pretty good treatment whether you have insurance or not.

[SoCalSteve]

I never gave much thought to the Team in Training riders I would encounter every year in El Tour de Tucson, (except to watch out for large packs of them riding 4 and 5 abreast.) That all changed 2 years ago when I was diagnosed with chronic lymphocyctic leukemia, CLL. Its amazing to me ( and gratifying and reassuring, that so many people are dedicated to raising money to find a cure for people in my position. (Just yesterday, over 30 Team in training runners from Tucson ran the PF CHang's marathon in Phx, raising over 90K.)

So far I have not needed treatment, the docs call my stage "wait and watch", but often it becomes "wait and worry."
I still do everything I did before I was diagnosed, because if I didn't have abnormal lab values to look at, I'd have no idea that I was ill.
The yellow wristband helps me to remember to make the most of each day and be grateful for them too.

Steve

Not the one's Ive coached in the past! I teach bike etiquette, pacelining and just basic concepts on how to work as a team, stay safe and not get in any other riders way.

Every coach is different, every chapter of TNT is different. When you see them riding, just give a big shout out: "Go Team!"

All the best to your sister!

Steve

[superunleaded]

The words battle and big C always gives me the hebegebees but with prayers and the LAF, it gives me some kind of comfort.

Our prayers to your sister and your family.

-gas

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . in fact, on second thought I agree with very little of what Lance does these days . . . :rolleyes:

BUT there is absolutely nothing bad I can imagine anyone saying about this great organization he created. As far as victories go, in my book creating Livestrong far outweighs any of his tour trophies . . .

BBD

[Skrawny]

I had testicular cancer once and have raised a bit of cash for LAF, although I'm British. I'm not really clear on how LAF helps patients. Can anyone enlighten me?

Over here we have pretty good treatment whether you have insurance or not.

This (http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.jvKZLbMRIsG/b.695471/k.D29D/About_Us.htm) is what they say they have done on the LAF website.

1+ to everything said in this thread.

When my mother was diagnosed with cancer one year ago (thread) (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=28575&page=1&pp=15&highlight=lung+cancer) she asked me to get a hold of a Livestrong bracelet for her. I got one for both of us and started wearing one myself. It was an act of solidarity with her and what she was going through.

I still wear it.

-s

[Fixed]

my bike wears one under the stem along the headtube
cheers :beer:

[ericspin]

You guys are the best.