This morning I received and email from a friend. He was a volunteer at the LIVESTRONG Summit in Austin, TX back in October 2006. At the summit his job was to help the Lance Armstrong Foundation by being the table moderator and leader to ensure we stayed focused on our objectives and to get people involved. He did a great job!
Though it is hard to really get to know a person in 3 days you can get a feeling what hey are like. When I left the Summit I felt he was a true inspiration as he was not a cancer survivor, but he man who was affected by cancer in his family. It drove him to give back and volunteer for the LAF. I left Austin knowing I had made a friend and he was someone I will keep in touch with.
This morning’s email was shock! This same man who left an impression on many down in Austin by volunteering his time to help cancer survivors and caregivers had recently found out he had a brain tumor.
He had surgery to remove a brain tumor last week and it looks like it was a benign slow growing mass that might not have been cancerous. He had his head scalped (his words), ear to ear staples and a nice dull headache. In his email he was positive enough to shed a little humor on the situation by stating “so I have that going for me.”
He went on to explain that there were worries about his lower spine as it has unusual metabolic activity, but he is optimistic about all the tests results.
I told him to never let it get him down, look forward to the future and keep a positive attitude. I went on to say that I plan on being in Austin in October and I plan on seeing him at the LAF events.
His email made me feel I have returned the favor and inspired & left an impression on him as he did with me. We both LIVESTRONG!
4 weeks ago