A New War on Cancer?

It's been one of THOSE days (and I know you all know what I mean). So, pardon my brevity, but I wanted to at least draw something exciting to your attention from President Obama's speech this week.

President Obama: "...launch new effort to conquer a disease that has touched the life of nearly every American by seeking a cure for cancer in our time."

It reminds me of President Kennedy's "man on the moon" address. I was holding my breath (ok, not really, but you get my point) to see the budget laid out today, and big news! President Obama's budget includes $6B for cancer at NIH and & hopefully follow-thru on doubling cancer funds as he promised during the elections!

All, keep advocating for change with your local, state & national legislative representatives! It makes a difference.

Fundraising Duel for Team LIVESTRONG!

*Even if you can't donate, please consider donating your Facebook status or blog to re-post this note! Click the "ShareThis" green icon below) *

I'm officially $322 as of this blog post from the minimum amount I committed to raising for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, as I run the 113th Boston Marathon on a charity-bid with Team LIVESTRONG on April 20th (in 8 weeks!). Click here to donate to Team LIVESTRONG!

I already cracked open my wallet and donated $200 to my own fundraising for LAF, since I was asking all of you to do the same. And now, I CHALLENGE MY BLOG FOLLOWERS TO A FUNDRAISING DUEL! If we hit the $2500 fundraising minimum I committed to raise (note, that's just the minimum) -- and hit it TONIGHT (Note: Duel extended through 2/25!) -- I will donate an additional $50! Yup, that's right. And, if we make it to $3,000 mark - I'll donate $100!!!

"Unity is Strength. Knowledge is Power. Attitude is Everything."

I'm a survivor because I have chosen to not let cancer define me. I am proud in the fact that I've battled cancer 3 times --- and frankly, the "3 strikes" law of California will apply to my cancer this time around, as I'm putting it away for good!

I'm running the Boston Marathon on the last day of my 33rd year to celebrate the fact that cancer will get it's 3rd a@$-whooping. I'm also running 3 races in 3 months to encourage others to stand up, embrace their survivorship and shout on the top of the lungs that "I LIVE-STRONG!" I am doing this to scream out to the world that the stigma of cancer must be changed, and we need to unite in our fight against this disease that has probably affected just about everyone reading this blog.

I'll run the 26.2 miles at Boston, if you take 2.62 minutes to log online to my donation page and donate to support an AMAZING organization that is helping me so much through my diagnosis, treatments and recovery. http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09

CURES ROCK. (Cancer does not.) Campaign to kick cancer to the curb -- and then, let's get on with LIFE! Let's hit the $2500 mark tonight (extended to 2/25)!

You are all my personal heroes! (I hug heroes.)

Pic #1: Lance Armstrong & Julie Westcott (Amgen Tour of California, Stage 8 Finish)

Pic #2: Julie's chalked drawings on the road at the AToC finish line

Leipheimer three-peats

Great, short article in the San Diego Union Tribune today on the Amgen Tour of CA that finished in Escondido, CA yesterday. There were an ~300,000 spectators at the race, making it probably the biggest sporting race in San Diego history! It was an amazing day, and I'll blog later with some pictures, but for now, check out this article and the great photo of Levi on Palomar Mountain (notice the Livestrong sign)!

Leipheimer three-peats

Posted using ShareThis

LIVE-STRONG & LEVI-STRONG!

Tomorrow is the final stage of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC), the largest cycling race in the United States, and the first U.S. race since Lance Armstrong's return to professional cycling. This final leg of the race, is by no means easy. It begins in Rancho Bernardo, CA, then the riders climb over Palomar Mountain, and it ends in Escondido, CA.
Our San Diego LIVESTRONG Army will be out there in force to cheer on Lance Armstrong & the Astana Team (& Levi, who's still managed to hang on to the yellow jersey! Levi-strong!). I'll be out with the Lance Armstrong Foundation staff and fellow San Diego LS Army volunteers, working the LIVESTRONG Booth at the Finish Line on Sunday, so please come out and say, "hi." While you're there, take a moment to sign-up and join our grassroots San Diego Army, as we work to UNITE all cancer organizations in our local area in the fight against cancer. For more information on great viewing spots & closed roads, go to http://www.nctimes.com/ or click here for an overview.

Today, many cancer survivors and fighters signed the "LIVESTRONG" banner that has made its way through several ATOC stages, and will be prominently hung along the race course tomorrow. :) From there, it'll make it's way to the European races. Thanks to all that joined our "signing party" today, whether you were signing as a survivor, cancer fighter or caregiver.
Enjoy your day tomorrow! We'll be "twittering" as much as possible to keep you updated, and we'll be uploading snippets of photo and video feeds to livestrongblog.org. Also, you can follow the race at: http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/ LIVESTRONG!

Pic 1: ATOC logo

Pic 2: Lance Armstrong, ATOC (by: Matthew McNelley, San Jose LS Army Leader)

Pic 3: LIVESTRONG bannner "signing party", Escondido, CA (by: Julie Westcott, San Diego LS Army Leader)

Pic 4: LIVESTRONG Booth at ATOC (by: Matthew McNelley)

Lance's New Set of Wheels

TREK Project One put together a new bike for Lance Armstrong in 3 days (Trek, you rock!). One just has to love the quote they put on it... click the pic to expand photo.



I've been asked a few times what the numbers mean on Lance's bike. Included is a photo of him "twit-pic"-ing the first image. The number 1274 on his bike is the number of days since Lance won his last Tour de France. 27.5 is how many millions of people died of cancer in the world in that exact same time. He's back to race again, but he's also back to promote a global campaign to fight cancer and change the stigma of the disease around the world.

Hope Rides Again.

Today is Stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California. Get ready, SoCal, because next Saturday (Pasadena - Stage 7) & Sunday (Escondido - Stage 8), the ATOC comes our way. It started on February 14th in Sacramento and is winding its way down California, ending in Escondido on the 22nd. The final stage will prove to be exciting, as it winds from Rancho Bernardo, over Palomar Mtn (KOM!) and into Escondido. The ATOC is Lance Armstrong's only domestic stop in the global campaign to transform cancer from obscurity to priority. Lance returned to cycling to raise awareness of the global cancer burden, and we will work together at the ATOC to show our support and make cancer a national priority. HOPE RIDES AGAIN.

First off, I would like to thank all of you who have signed up to volunteer with the LAF and the grassroots LIVESTRONG Armies to show your support. I would also like to thank all of you who have donated to LAF in support of Team LIVESTRONG. It is greatly appreciated!
For those of you coming out to the race to support Lance & the global LIVESTRONG campaign on cancer, look for the LIVESTRONG Banner that will be up on the race course (we'd love cancer fighters and survivors to sign it, as it's going global to all the races!). In addition, come visit me and the LAF/LS Army crew at the LIVESTRONG Booth (Finish Line, Lifestyle Expo). If you can't make it, but would like to donate to LAF, please consider donating to Team LIVESTRONG, as we run to raise funds for LAF at the upcoming Boston Marathon this April! http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09 LIVESTRONG!

Pic #1: Starting line (by Giovanna Baldassarre, San Jose LIVESTRONG Army Leader)

Pic #2: Palomar Mtn road sign (by Julie Westcott, San Diego LIVESTRONG Army Leader)

Pic #3: Astana Team Bus (by Giovanna Baldassarre)

Pic #4: LIVESTRONG Mission Booth @ Santa Cruz Stage Finish (by Giovanna Baldassarre)

Amgen Tour of California

The Amgen Tour of California is here! Levi on Team Astana kept the yellow jersey today in Stage 3, which ended in Modesto, CA. The exciting part is that next weekend the final stage ends in Escondido, part of San Diego County! If you want to follow live online, go to: http://tracker.amgentourofcalifornia.com/ This site continued coverage today, even when Velo News ended coverage 20 mins before the end due to a hockey game (boo!).

Our San Diego LIVESTRONG Army will be out in force next weekend at the Pasadena & Escondido stages. LIVESTRONG Armies across CA have been helping at the race stages in uniting in the fight against cancer. I'll be up in Pasadena, and I'll be working the Lance Armstrong Foundation / LIVESTRONG booth all day at the Lifestyle Expo in Escondido, so please come by and say "hi." Although the last stage is typically ceremonial at some races, that's not the case in this one! The final stage wraps from Rancho Bernardo over Palomar Mountain, ending in Escondido.
If you're in the area on Saturday (Pasadena, CA) and Sunday (Escondido, CA), come by to cheer on Lance, as this is his only U.S. race in his global campaign on cancer!

(Pics by Matthew McNelley, San Jose Livestrong Army Leader from Stage 3 ATOC)

Lance is Back!

Honestly? I wore black all day today -- and yes, I know it was Valentine's Day. No, I wasn't trying to make the statement you think -- I was wearing my LIVESTRONG clothes in support of the fact that LANCE IS BACK! Today was the beginning of the Amgen Tour of California. The last stage will end here in San Diego County (Rancho Bernardo to Escondido, over Palomar Mtn). Our local LIVESTRONG Army of San Diego is geared up and ready to help. We'll be working the Lance Armstrong Foundation's LIVESTRONG Booth at the Lifestyle Expo at the end of the very last stage (in Escondido). Come & visit us and show your support....not just for the Lance's cycling (which rocks), but for the fact that he's doing this to raise awareness of the LIVESTRONG brand and the global campaign on cancer. UNITE with us!

Today was also our 3rd session of the Summer 2009 Season of Team in Training, and it couldn't have been a more gorgeous run along Highway 101. Perfect 60 degree weather. Beautiful skies after the rain. The ocean was sparkling. I am slowly coming back from my ankle injury, and ran 5 miles with the team today. Felt great. Of course, it ended with my ankle in the hand of Anthony, the miracle-worker-sports-masseuse that I have a love/hate relationship with each week. (He's awesome.) I also had the honor of announcing the first-ever, San Diego/Hawaii Chapter-wide "Cures Rock Star" fundraising status for every teammate that raises $1,000 over their minimum fundraising to encourage the team to keep on raising funds for a cure. We already have our first "Cures Rock Star," and he'll be wearing a special TNT singlet on race day for the Rock N Roll marathons. (CONGRATS, Chris!)

Pic #1: North County San Diego TNT Run Teammates cheer on Lance & unite in the fight against cancer! Signs read, "Go Lance, Ride on!" & "Cures Rock!"

Pic #2: My love/hate relationship with Anthony. :)

26.2 Miles of Paying-it-Forward

For those that have been following my blog, you know that recently, an opportunity of a lifetime was given to me -- to run in the 2009 Boston Marathon on April 20th! Those of you that know a little bit about marathons and me (and my running abilities...ha ha), also know that I have no business being in the field of one of the oldest and most prestigious marathons in the world. For those that don't, the Boston Marathon is so special, runners have to qualify for it by running a prior marathon at what seems like super-human speeds.

So this where the "opportunity of a lifetime" comes in for me --- I was offered the chance to run the Boston Marathon on Team LIVESTRONG, a team of ~20 people that were selected to run in order to raise awareness for The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and cancer survivorship. I'm honored to represent the LAF and will proudly wear our famous, yellow LIVESTRONG gear as I train for the next three months here in CA and on race day running through the streets of Boston. In exchange for the opportunity to run in a field of elite professional and amateur marathoners, I've personally committed to raise $2,500 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
I realize that many of you have already generously supported my fundraising efforts for cancer charities in the last year, and I appreciate it more than you know. I also fully realize that these are challenging times for all of us economically and charitable contributions are harder than ever to come by. But I also know that most all of you share a connection to cancer in some way and have a desire to make a difference in the lives of those that are living with it today or may face it in the future. There is no better organization than the LAF for making real differences in peoples lives while fighting cancer. I know this to be true first hand as a cancer survivor, after hearing the dreaded words, “You have cancer.”
Every dollar helps us get one step closer to the ultimate finish line – a cure!

1,500 Americans die every single day from this disease. Think about that for a second…do the math...that is insane! 1 in 2 American men, and 1 in 3 American women will be told they have cancer. Globally, cancer takes more lives each year than AIDS, turberculosis and malaria -- combined! This just needs to change, and in the meantime, those that are fighting every day to survive need our help!

I will be running 3 races in 3 months, raising donations for cancer charities!!!

Boston Marathon on Team LIVESTRONG = April 20, 2009

Rock N Roll Marathon (San Diego) with TNT = May 31, 2009 (with my twin!)

Rock N Roll Marathon (Seattle) with TNT = June 28, 2009

So, in addition to donating my legs to running the 26.2 miles in Boston in April for the Cause (x3 races!), I'm also kicking off this fundraising campaign by going to my wallet. Since the LAF was generous enough to pay for my entry fee for the marathon, I have donated the first $200 to the campaign to get things started and will be covering all of my race and travel expenses. I hope that you consider giving whatever you can spare to support me and The Lance Armstrong Foundation. By doing so, you really are making a difference! Donating online is quick, easy and secure via this link:

http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09 CURES ROCK!

Pic #1: LAF Logo

Pic #2: Julie at the LIVESTRONG Summit 2008

Pic #3: Lance Armstrong joking around at the LIVESTRONG Summit

Pic #4: LIVESTRONG! Cancer survivors & caregivers at the Summit

Pic #5: Julie & Lisa running their first marathon

Pic #6: Julie & Doug Ulman (President/CEO, LAF) at Columbus Zoo during final Summit BBQ

Why Julie is a Special Name

By Bill Martin

(Guest Blogger, TNT Run Coach)

I believe that God has a plan. 28 years ago I took a friend to the San Diego blood bank to donate platelets for a family friend who was sick with Leukemia. I came back 3 hours later to find out that the nurse had problems drawing blood from my friend’s arms. They asked if I would donate platelets in his place. I did and my life changed forever. I became her platelet donor. She was 8 years old when I met her, and she was fighting a double case of Leukemia.

Her name was Julianna Renee Farley.

Julie became the focus of my life for the next year and a half. She passed away on February 9, 1983. My daughter was born 3 months later, and we named her Julianna Renee Martin. My life changed again. I struggled with the pain of loss for numerous years. I made the decision not to get involved again, but I continued to donate platelets. In 1996 I met a runner who got me involved in TNT. My honored teammate's name was Julie. There is no such thing as coincidences. My life changed again, and I became involved.

13 years later, I am volunteering for my 26th season with TNT. Last week, one of my honored teammates, Julie, asked me if I wanted to join her and run the Boston Marathon for the Livestrong Foundation. Today is the 26th anniversary of Julie's passing from Leukemia. In exactly 26.2 years from the day she passed, I am running 26.2 miles in her honor, along with Julie Westcott, at the most prestigious marathon in the world. The Boston Marathon. I am running that marathon representing the Lance Armstrong Foundation whose goal is to unite people to fight cancer. I thought the only way to get to Boston was to qualify. I was so wrong. There is no such thing as coincidences. God has a plan. I wonder what’s next.

- Bill M.

Pic #1: Julianna Farley with Bill Martin, Kit Carson Park - 1982

Pic #2: Julie Westcott with Bill Martin, Rock 'n' Roll Marathon - 2008

*To donate* to support the fundraising efforts of Team LIVESTRONG, running the Boston Marathon on April 20th to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, please click on the "Cures Rock!" Star logo on the right side of this page. (From that link, you can also click on "Team Page" to view the whole team.)

Julie's Running the Boston Marathon on TeamLIVESTRONG!

WAHOO! It's official! My entry is now confirmed online for one of the oldest and most prestigious road races in the world -- the Boston Marathon!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I have the honor of being a member of Team LIVESTRONG, a team of 20 individuals running for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) at the Boston Marathon this April 20th. I am very grateful for all this particular charity has done to help me live strong during my battles with cancer, and I have committed to raise $2,500 for LAF. I still need $1528.80 to reach my fundraising minimum.

For those of you that follow my Cures Rock! Blog, you know I often encourage people to act now to make a difference when it comes to cancer. This is just one way for you make a difference right now. No amount is too small and every dollar counts toward meeting our goal and making a difference. My granddad was only one of 1,500 Americans that died of cancer in December 14, 2005...and 1,500 people die every single day. Think about that for a second, do the math...that is insane! 1 in 2 American men and 1 in 3 American women will be told they have cancer. This just needs to change and in the meantime, those that are fighting every day to survive need our help.

So, in addition to donating my legs to running the 26.2 miles in Boston in April for the cause, I'm also kicking off this fundraising campaign by going to my wallet. Since the LAF was generous enough to pay for my entry fee for the marathon, I have donated the first $200 to the campaign to get things started....and hope you all also join in this global campaign against cancer.

To donate for an amazing cause and their global campaign on cancer, go to: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09

Today is World Cancer Day

CURES ROCK!!! February 4th is World Cancer Day, which is marked to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment. It is led by the International Union Against Cancer (UICC), a global consortium of more than 280 cancer-fighting organizations in over 90 countries.

Some healthy behaviors that can prevent cancer?

• Provide a smoke-free environment for children


• Be physically active, eat a balanced, healthy diet, and avoid obesity


• Learn about vaccines for virus-related liver and cervical cancers


• Avoid over-exposure to the sun

Join the CURES ROCK! Campaign to kick cancer to the curb!:

1. Join your local LIVESTRONG Army and unite in the fight against cancer! http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.4688573/k.5651/Local_LIVESTRONG_Army_Leader_Search/apps/kb/cs/contactsearch.asp I am the Co-Leader for the San Diego Army, so if you're in our area and would like to join, go to: http://www.sandiegolivestrongarmy.org/ !!!

2. Donate to support the fight against cancer! I'm running the prestigious Boston Marathon this April on TeamLIVESTRONG to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (www.livestrong.org). To donte, please go to my fundraising web site at: http://www.livestrong.org/grassroots2009/juliewboston09

Make today a good one & help encourage your local policy-makers and UICC member organizations to make cancer a global priority! CURES ROCK!