Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong was born September 18, 1971 to a teenage mother. Athletic from the start, Lance competed in a number of triathlons and became a professional athlete by the age of 16. Eventually, his love of cycling became his main athletic focus and a phenomenon was born. After competing in the 1992 Olympic games, Lance entered the world of professional cycling, entering his first Tour de France in 1995. At the top of his game and with his mother by his side every step of the way, Lance seemed to have it all. Unfortunately, in October of 1996, everything changed. Suffering from chronic pain, Lance was diagnosed with testicular cancer that would eventually spread to his lungs and brain. With chances of recovery less than 50%, Lance began a course of treatment that would include two surgeries and chemotherapy. With time, the treatment began to work and Lance was on his way to a full recovery.

This didn't happen overnight. The chemotherapy took a toll on Lance's body and he was left feeling weak and fragile. Remarkably, though, just five months after his initial diagnoses, Lance was back on a bike rebuilding the strength he had lost. Not only did the cancer take its toll on Lance physically, but the emotional impact was traumatic as well. Nothing makes you stand up and take stock of your life like a cancer diagnoses. Deciding that he was in a unique position to do something positive with his life and his experience, he founded The Lance Armstrong Foundation as a foundation for cancer research and support program to other patients suffering from cancer as he had. With his stand up and take charge of your life attitude, Lance has inspired thousands of cancer patients just like him to fight the fight of their lives with power and strength. With the Livestrong wristbands on the arms of everyone from celebrities to the milkman, the foundation has currently raised more than 13 million dollars for cancer research.

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