| Fight or Quit | | | | obligation of the cured that I believe all survivors have |
| | | | to those who come after them, I began to raise funds |
| As the 2006 Tour de France begins and we wait to | | | | for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and was |
| see who will replace perhaps the race's most | | | | anticipating Lance's attempt to win his seventh straight |
| dominate rider ever, seven time champion Lance | | | | Tour de France. |
| Armstrong, I have a different question to be answered. | | | | As the 2005 Tour de France unfolded it was very |
| Where will I find my annual inspiration that has given | | | | different for Lance Armstrong and his team. While |
| me and thousands of other cancer survivors and | | | | they initially seemed dominant again, as the 21-day |
| patients continued strength to fight on and accept the | | | | race rolled on it became apparent his supporting cast |
| challenge that cancer presents? | | | | of Discovery Team members might not quite be the |
| In early 2004 at the age of 43 I was diagnosed with a | | | | unbeatable force as in previous years. Team |
| Stage III Colorectal Cancer. Like many, I had no idea I | | | | members ride to protect their leader, to allow him to |
| was even sick, much less facing a deadly serious fight | | | | draft much like stock car racing, to provide support |
| for my life. The diagnosis was such a shock and initially | | | | and to chase down other riders or teams that may try |
| I was lost and confused about how to deal with it. | | | | to break away and gain an advantage. The team's |
| While my family was no stranger to cancer, my | | | | possible weakness began to show itself on the |
| parents and sister are all cancer survivors, I was not | | | | fourteenth day of the race during a very difficult and |
| prepared for the impact my own diagnosis would have | | | | demanding mountain stage. |
| on me. | | | | As the stage climbed upward, Lance found himself |
| One of the most important factors in preparing me for | | | | abandoned by his team members who were unable to |
| what I would face came in the form of a gift from a | | | | keep up with the demanding pace of the stage. The |
| close personal friend of mine by the name of Chris | | | | pace of the previous day's stages had worn them |
| Anthony. When he heard of my cancer diagnosis he | | | | down. Worse yet, his main rivals were in front and had |
| gave me Lance Armstrong's book "It's not about the | | | | their support riders still with them. It could have been |
| bike". It contained Lance's story of his own cancer fight | | | | the turning point of the whole race had those riders |
| and survivorship and introduced me to the Lance | | | | gotten away from Lance. |
| Armstrong Foundation. Chris nor I could have realized | | | | It was a defining moment for the 2005 race. Here we |
| at the time what an impact the book would have in the | | | | would find out if the great champion had enough left in |
| formulation of my own plan to fight my cancer. | | | | his post cancer 37 year old legs to once again do the |
| With the book as a source of inspiration, guidance and | | | | unthinkable, win the world's most difficult bike race for |
| perspective I made it through the initial stages of | | | | the seventh straight time. |
| treatment in pretty good shape. At every turn no | | | | Somewhere within the psyche that had helped him |
| matter what I faced there was always a mention in | | | | survive all that had come before, he did not let those |
| the story of something that seemed far worse than | | | | rivals and their teams get away from him. He may |
| anything I was dealing with. I find it difficult to articulate | | | | have been left alone to face them without his team |
| how the story of Lance Armstrong's personal fight | | | | and their support, but it did not matter. He was a fighter |
| with cancer, near death and subsequent rise to | | | | and summoned that special reserve from within that |
| dominate what is maybe the world's toughest individual | | | | had helped him stare down cancer and focused it on |
| sporting event inspired me. His words pulled me along | | | | all those challenging him now. Not only did they not get |
| through each day of what was becoming the toughest | | | | away, he nearly won the stage outright and helped |
| year of my life. | | | | preserve the defining accomplishment of his biking |
| The 2004 Tour de France came along at a time when | | | | career, a 7th straight Tour de France victory. |
| I was ending my second bout with chemotherapy, | | | | It was his statement in a post race interview after the |
| feeling physically run down and mentally exhausted but | | | | difficult day his Discovery Team had, leaving him |
| encouraged by continuing good medical reports. I | | | | unprotected and alone while other riders were |
| watched that year's race with great respect for the | | | | aggressively attacking his lead that summed up for me |
| performance that was unfolding in front of me. | | | | personally what the Lance Armstrong Foundation |
| Lance Armstrong and his Discovery Team were | | | | (LAF) means to millions living with cancer. His words |
| completely dominant. He seemed to be able to call | | | | that he was left with only two options; to "Fight or Quit" |
| upon some unseen reserve of strength from within | | | | say it all. It turns out the 2005 race was every bit as |
| that no one else had. His team seemed to feed off of | | | | inspiring as the previous years to me and cancer |
| his strength. I felt like I knew where that strength came | | | | survivor's everywhere in the way Lance chose to fight |
| from. It was the same strength he used to fight cancer | | | | in the face of great odds. |
| with complete and unwavering determination to win at | | | | It is that spirit and determination that was on display |
| whatever cost. Lance's victory that year was | | | | every year during the Tour de France as Lance |
| validation again for all cancer survivors and patients | | | | Armstrong competed that provided those affected by |
| that you can came back from the brink and win | | | | cancer a shining beacon of hope. An example of what |
| despite all the odds against you. If showed that | | | | could be done, the possibilities that exist despite what |
| statistics are just someone else's number, you can | | | | the odds may say. |
| choose to fight on your own terms and be successful. | | | | Although his competition days are over, that same |
| Fighting cancer is about attitude and Lance was | | | | spirit is alive and well in the foundation he formed to |
| displaying it for the whole world to see. | | | | fight cancer and to help those affected by it. While I |
| As the 2005 Tour de France approached I was in the | | | | receive great inspiration from those I have met raising |
| beginning stages of being able to call myself a cancer | | | | funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, I am still |
| survivor. My cancer had miracously responded to the | | | | hopeful that there will be a storyline from which I can |
| pre-surgical treatment and up to that point cancer was | | | | gain new inspiration in this year's Tour de France. |
| no longer detectable in my body. Colorectal cancer | | | | Unfortunately it will not be authored by one of the |
| has an extremely high rate of recurrence and I had to | | | | most influential voices and inspirational leaders for |
| stay on top of it but I was beginning to see some light | | | | those affected by cancer, Lance Armstrong. |
| at the end of the tunnel. As a means of fulfilling my | | | | |