a lesson in living strong

this morning i went for my first bike ride since memorial day.  nearly two months have passed since that ride when i was feeling so strong and so fit.  i have had plenty of time since then to work on my mental toughness; physical toughness is a whole other mountain to climb.  i won't bore you with the details of the ride, but as i crested a small hill and switched into my big ring for the ride down i was hit with the childhood feeling of joy every bike rider must feel from time to time.  the wind was in my face and the cool air filled my jersey and finally, finally, all was right with the world for a few moments.

i'm missing out on riding my bike across iowa this year; the first miles are passing under thousands of riders' wheels as i type this.  but i am still hoping to take part in the cycling portion of the livestrong challenge here in philly.  i haven't missed one in five years and i don't want to miss my sixth.  it will once again just be an honor to be there.

i've been asked countless times in the past months, "what can i do to help?".  i'm really lucky.  i don't require a ton of help - though i do love it when i get it.  my family is always at my side, my doctors keep me well-informed and take amazing care of me, the team on 12 founders nursed me through the worst days and got me home to really begin healing.  i can ask questions and engage myself in my plan for care, from pneumonia to cancer. 

but there are a lot of people out there who do need help, right now.  just as i once had to begin down this road, each day, countless people are told "you have cancer".  there are no trail maps, no set plans to follow.  i turned to livestrong when i needed help - understanding what would come next, learning how to seek second opinions, how to keep track of all the drugs and doctor visits and scans and tests, and most importantly, that being a survivor doesn't start when the treatments are over - it starts the day you're diagnosed.  i've said time and time again i don't think i'd still be here without livestrong.

so, today, i'm finally asking for help.  from each of you.  please make a donation to livestrong and support me in what will be my toughest livestrong challenge to date.  any amount is appreciated - from a couple cups of coffee's worth to a pizza's to anything above and beyond.

DONATE HERE and please send this out to your family and friends.  you've all been touched with cancer if you're reading this.  there are countless others out there, too.

know you're helping cancer survivors get through the toughest times in their lives.  know you're helping me climb the hills.  thank you.