Livestrong band

I was wearing one of those yellow Livestrong wristbands yesterday, pre-Oprah. It's still on. It isn't about Lance Armstrong, I've explained to my kids. It's about me. I survived prostate cancer five years ago, and it changed in useful ways how I think about life—aiming high, not putting things off, that sort of stuff. I rather like the continual reminder. I've never cared much for cycling, for myself or on TV, but it's hard not to admire a man of determination who keeps coming back. Continue reading →

When my father was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, one of the first things I did was put a yellow rubber Livestrong bracelet on my right wrist. I was, at the time, a newly-minted road cycling enthusiast and so I’d read quite a bit about the racing exploits of Lance Armstrong, the man at the centre of the Livestrong campaign. The Armstrong bio — seven Tour de France wins after recovering from a near-fatal fight with cancer — was not only impressive, it was inspiring. Watching him race made me want to ride my bike more. Continue reading →