Whether you were aware of it or not, today, Tuesday May 17, 2006, is LIVESTRONG Day. It is a day set aside by the Lance Armstrong Foundation to raise cancer awareness on Capitol Hill. From the LAF website:"On Wednesday, May 17, you can help Lance and the LAF be a voice for change. Thousands of people will take part in LIVESTRONG Day events across the country to raise awareness of and bring attention to an issue that impacts all Americans - cancer.
Two participants from each state have been selected to participate in Washington, D.C. They will meet with their elected officials, participate in interactive advocacy presentations and listen to guest speakers discuss how to make an impact on Capitol Hill and in their own communities."
Regardless of whether you are a fan of Armstrong the cyclist, the man, the father, or not (my personal preferences geared more toward the athlete than the man), the one thing we can all agree on is being a fan of Armstrong the cancer activists.
Eight years ago, my life, specifically my father's life was touched by colorectal cancer. Every day, every month, and every year after the diagnosis and treatment of his cancer was considered a blessing. However, it wasn't without its hardships as every blood draw, every scan, every colonoscopy became a mini-ordeal. Although he is three years past the 5 year mark (where reoccurences often happen), he is nonetheless afflicted by complications from his treatment.
My father's story is one with a happy outcome. But the world is filled with those who aren't as fortunate and whose struggles with cancer are daily. As 53rd Tooth and T-o-03 have mentioned in this blog, many feel its not as cool to wear their LIVESTRONG band these days (since LA is no longer in the peloton). But I thought "Wearing Yellow" was supposed to be for something or someone special not for the fashionista in you. So if you have the time today, remember (and contribute; doesn't necessarily mean monetarily) to LIVESTRONG.
3 comments:
I'm touched by your post. I didn't know. I wear my yellow bracelet for my friend Paul Regan in Barrie, Ontario, who is fighting cancer for the fourth time. This has been the toughest go-round, though. I also lost my good friend, Shawn Walsh, the former Maine hockey coach, to cancer several years ago. My mother died of complications resulting from skin cancer. We could all go on and one. Our Boy Lance wants to race $1 billion for cancer research. Yet President Bush, on top of the war in Iraq, just promised $2 billion to guard the Mexican border. Given the number of people who die as a result of cancer every year, where are our priorities???
i found your sit through the Next Blog button, always seems to bring me to the right place! I can't imagine not wearing my livestrong band, it never comes off.
like you say what ever your personal feelings about Lance what he is doing deserves respect.
Glad you found us. The Crankset's Irish Lass north of the Border.
Post a Comment