Livestrong! Now and forever.
This one is personal. I almost stopped myself from drawing this, thinking I couldn’t possibly be objective. But the more I thought about it the more I believed perhaps that I have a unique perspective and a cartoon like this might give a voice to those of us whose lives have been forever changed by the hideous disease of cancer.
In August of 2000 I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. By September I was in daily radiation treatments that would last for 8 long weeks. It takes another 8 weeks or more for the poison of the treatments to taper off. They left me exhausted, with nausea and stomach issues beyond words. I didn’t have to do chemo, as depicted in this cartoon. But my friend Peter Belini was not as fortunate. I met him, another testicular cancer patient, the following year after my wife, Debbie, was diagnosed with terminal thyroid cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy treatments at a local Denver clinic. I lost Debbie to the disease in September of 2004 and Peter in the later part of 2005. Peter’s testicular cancer was far more aggressive than mine. His was much more like the one that Lance Armstrong had battled. The one that Armstrong had chronicled in his book,
It’s Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life , a book I was only able to partially read because so much of it scared the hell out of me. But the one thing it gave me was hope. Just like the foundation Livestrong, that he created in the aftermath of his battle. Every time I see a yellow wristband It gives me hope. Hope and strength to carry on, to live for those whose lives have been cut short and don’t get the gift of another day. There are days, even now, where my faith wavers at the place and circumstances that I find in my own personal and professional life. But the flash of a yellow wristband brings me right back around to holding on and fighting back.
And so, forgive me, if I find myself somewhat ambivalent about the doping scandal that Armstrong finds himself in. Whether he is guilty or not, I honestly have no idea. There is evidence, no doubt. But I look across our world and see the evidence of the hope that his foundation stands for. That, to me, is all the evidence I need. This world could use a lot more of that kind of inspiration.
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What no one is saying though what if his doping contributed to his cancer. I don’t care if “everyone’s doing it”. It’s wrong and he should be punished.
I personally don’t care about the doping issue. His foundation has done great things and the it all that matters. He has been punished so it is a moot point, implicating his cancer as possibly being linked to the doping issue is nonproductive and takes away from the good things he has done.
Good morning from Omaha,
Lance has been an inspiration to many cancer survivors.
Lance had cancer in his youth and overcame cancer and its treatments to become perhaps the greatest bike rider of all time. Bike riding is just a part of his story. His life as a cancer survivor has become the candle on the cake of his being.
The inspiration that his foundation has given to many cancer stricken people can not be measured.
No one will be able to ride a bike like Lance could but his ability to thrive after his battle with cancer should be a life lesson for us all.
Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.
Gene
This is a fascinating story, but really it’s time to let the cycle world go it’s way, Lance to live the rest of his life knowing the good he has done and deal with whatever personal demons he has, his foundation to go on inspiring, helping, and researching. All that have doped in bicycling, an example has been made, heed that, and consider the concept “win at all cost.”
Thank you, Drew, for sharing such personal experiences and thoughts. You inspire many, as well.
You each heal people in your own way and in the same way too– Lance through his foundation and his will to survive and go past the cancer; and you through your art, sense of humor and ability to capture the essence of a moment of life through sports and also your will to survive your own challenges in life. Through sharing your art you give each of us a little bit of humor and laughter in our day, and they say laughter is good for the soul. Thanks Drew.
Drew –
Thank you for sharing your story. I honestly did not know. We are all blessed that you survived in order to make life a little better for us all through your art and your humor.
Goddess Bless
Drew – I’m like Meaghan, I didn’t know your story either. Reading your story touches me very directly. I lost my wife to cancer in January of 2009; so I know how you feel in that respect. It makes you wonder why they can not find a 100% cure.
Keep up with the great tunes – been reading you since you went online and I love the calender I bot from you. Jim