Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong recently spoke at University at Buffalo as apart of the 25^th anniversary Distinguished Speakers Series. As a man from Texas, he first began his athletic competition in triathlons. In the year 1996, Lance was ranked as the #1 cyclist in the world.

Throughout the same year though, he was experiencing symptom that he continued to dismiss, even though he didn’t know the severity of it. The symptoms included massive headaches and coughing up blood. At one point he went to the doctor who ran tests all throughout his body. Later that evening, Lance was told he had 8-10 golf ball sized tumors in and on his lungs; and that he was scheduled for emergency surgery in 12 hours.

As Lance was preparing for surgery, he was concerned with himself and his safety, telling the doctor “you can’t screw this up. This is too important…” But the doctor was not operating on Lance Armstrong, he was operating on cancer-this is because the doctor had lost his wife and the mother of his two children to breast cancer about 1 month prior.

Lance feels that the cancer and experience “was the best thing to have ever happened to me.” While Lance was recovering, the doctors asked him if he ever wanted to race again? Lance responded “yes.” So the doctors changed the drugs to help him recover to preserve his lungs. Without this question being asked, none of Lance’s success or impact on the world would have never had happened.

In 1998, Lance went back to racing and join the American cycling team. In 1999, Lance won his first Tour de France. His average speed was 25 mph (40 kph). This began the amazing run of 7 consecutive Tour de France victories for Lance Armstrong.

In 2004, the “Livestrong” brand was born. The term comes from cancer survivors who have always lived strong. As well, Nike donated $1 million to the Lance Armstrong Foundation as well as made 5 million yellow bands to sell for $1 a piece. A total sum of $6 million.

After the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece- 10 million more yellow wristbands were sold. As of today, over 84 million bands have been sold. As Lance has said to large crowds “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room on earth.” This is to represent your duty to help and serve others who are in need, that is your purpose.

Lance was not cured to go on and live a lifestyle of hiding, he found this as an opportunity and an obligation to go out and spread the strength as well as help others. “It’s not about the facts, but how you embrace it as well as the good you do.” This is referring to everyone’s responsibility to help others.