Leana May

I have always said that the best things in my life were possible because people much smarter than myself believed in them and helped make them happen. Athletesgiving is no different. Leana May has been one of those people. So many of the posts you read are about organizations referred to me by Leana and she continues to correct, inspire, encourage and guide me in this adventure.

That said, it’s only fair to pay tribute to her by referring you to her BLOG. I’m sure you will find plenty of amazing content as she is an amazing woman.

Thanks Leana!

Melanie Lidman

Quick Introduction

My name is Brian Pienta and I am a new contributor to the AG site.  I am really excited to be a part of this.  Who am I and why am I writing on this site?  I am not the best in the world at a particular sport.  I play sports, but I am definitely far from professional in any of them.  I am a 22 year-old cancer survivor living in Chicago and am trying to run the Chicago Marathon while doing some fundraising for an organization call Imerman Angels.  Here is a quick background…
When I was 19, I noticed a little lump in my left thigh after a ski trip to Breckenridge, CO.  I had it checked out and was told I had nothing to worry about.  Six months later, in June 2006, I looked down and the bump on my thigh had gotten bigger…  a lot bigger.
On July 7, 2006, I got a biopsy and was told that I had cancer.  I was diagnosed with a liposarcoma.  Luckily, it was low-grade and my treatment consisted of surgery to remove half of my left thigh, followed up with 35 rounds of radiation.  I started my junior year of college walking with a cane.  My radiation was done in October and I was declared in remission.
I bought a bike and started fundraising for the Lance Armstrong Foundation and that became my recovery.  By August, I had completed my first LiveStrong Challenge and completed the 100-mile ride.  The next summer I trained and ran in the Chicago Marathon for Imerman Angels, an organization mentioned in earlier AG postings.
This year, I am training again for the Chicago Marathon in October with Imerman Angels, and wanted to share my story of training and fundraising as a survivor.  Last years marathon was a challenge, my left thigh locked up after mile 18 and the rest of the marathon was pretty slow.  This year, I am not going to slow down, and I will finish stronger than I start.  I am PUMPED to be writing here.

Brian

Active Angels

Here is a person who raises the bar for humanity.  When he was 26, Jonny Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer.  During his fight, he had a lot of support from family and friends but never connected with someone his own age who had gone through what he was going through.  That’s what motivated him to create Imerman’s Angels so that others would have the support he didn’t.

“Imerman Angels connects a person fighting cancer today (”cancer fighter”) with someone who has beaten the same type of cancer (”cancer survivor”).”  A program like this is VERY needed for young adults with cancer.  

Imerman’s Angels is a 501(c)3 and donations go a very long way to help them provide their services.  They have created an amazing outlet for athletes to give back to their cause.  It’s called Imerman’s Active and it’s a group dedicated to individuals who want to participate in any of the athletic events in support of Imerman Angels. The 2009 line up includes: the Austin Half Marathon, Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and the LIVESTRONG Challenge.

Imerman Active Team Training is an endurance training program that trains participants to complete marathons. Imerman Active participants raise money to benefit 1-on-1 Cancer Support through Imerman Angels. In exchange for their fundraising efforts, team members receive professional training by experienced coaches, monthly team parties, race day events, pre-race pasta party and a post race victory party AND the knowledge that all money raised will help provide cancers fighters with 1-on-1 support.

To learn more about Imerman Angels and Imerman Active, please check out their website at www.imermanangels.org

Cee Cee

Please watch this exclusive AG interview with Lilly Lorenzo-Luaces, a good friend and First Descents alum.

Cee Cee embodies the mission of AthletesGiving. After a diagnosis of cancer flipped her life upside down, she took back control by attending First Descents. That experience empowered and inspired her to challenge herself by running a half marathon, something she thought she would never do and to gave her the desire to pay it forward to other young adult survivors by raising 5k for First Descents.

Please watch this video and then click HERE to see her fundraising page if you can, make a 10 dollar contribution to help her achieve her goal.

His war continues

A close friend of mine, Nick Raitt aka Nickname, has been in a war with cancer for 2 years now. I met Nick at a First Descents kayak camp in Montana with First Descents.
He’s an amazing all around athlete and for years had used sports to raise money for causes. He’s the ultimate giving athlete. Last year he held a local soft ball tournament that riased 5k which he split between First Descents and his local treatment center.

Recently he joined Team Beyond Cancer as one of their athletes with a goal of raising 20k for young adult cancer survivors to attend First Descents.

Nick received news that his cancer is back and on April 15, he will begin his battle with cancer again. Please follow him on his blog http://www.nick-raitt.blogspot.com/ and support his efforts. We could all learn a lot from Nick.

Boof against the odds

Katie Hilleke is one of the strongest female athletes on this planet and it runs in the family. Her brother Tommy is an equally strong paddler and both are as nice as they come.

A couple of years ago, Katie was diagnosed with colon cancer as a young woman in the prime of her life. A devastating event no matter how you look at it. Katie however chose to see it as an opportunity.

The paddling community that Katie is such as big part of was able to raise 20k to help her with medical bills. She didn’t feel like she deserved this and decided to pay it forward for the next person in her position by starting a national fundraiser. Katie had people pledge to sponsor her in her efforts to kayak as much as possible over the course of 2 months. People pledged for every river mile she did and she spilt that money between First Descents and the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Both of these organizations are very near to her heart after her experience.

This is a perfect example of someone who found a silver lining and used their athletic passion to support a cause that was very important to them. You don’t need to have had cancer to apply Katie’s example to your life. Just follow your passion and use it to help a cause that really means something to you!

To read her story, please click here

Give examples

You may have heard about this but it’s worth revisiting.  

Ghandi’s quote that we have all heard so many times, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” couldn’t be more true.  Very simply, lead by example.  It’s often said that people look up to and are influenced by athletes.  It doesn’t matter how good you are your sport, how big your name is or how many people watch you compete.  All that matters is that you’re fueled by passion.  Passion moves people.

When you have their attention, what message will you give them?  This, in itself, is a gift.  

Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah faced a challenge beyond anything most of us will ever know.  He was born disabled in Ghana.  Not an easy mountain to climb.  Well, he climbed it and then some.  He set out on a journey to change the way people looked at him and others like him with disabilities.  Check out this trailer.

Walk the walk

I can honestly say that I have never met a more courageous person.  Brian Wickman aka Beemer, has faced more challenges at the age of 32 than most people will ever know.  As an athletic young man Beemer was diagnosed with HIV.  Not too long after this diagnosis came another life changing diagnosis when he was told he had cancer.  Brian has managed to live and live well in the face of these overwhelming diseases.  Since I have known him I have seen him snow ski, water ski and kayak with the best of them despite losing his leg to cancer.  He sent me an email today announcing his participation as an athlete in a walk for AIDS.  He of course will be doing this with only one leg and thus asks that you kindly double your donation in light of it! 

Please visit his fundraising page by clicking here and if you agree that he’s an inspiration, please support him in his athletic fundraising efforts for GMHC.  I know I will.  

This is a video of Beemer speaking on behalf of First Descents last summer.  He’s an amazing example of courage and humility that we could all learn from.  Thank you Beemer.

Waves of courage

As a professional athlete, my biggest fear is a spinal cord injury simply because life continues on around you but the passion you once enjoyed as an athlete is out of reach.

I have been aware of the Life Rolls On (LRO) foundation for a few years now and have always admired their efforts to restore the passion in the lives of people living with spinal cord injuries.

Recently on the Today Show, they did a feature on a young man named Patrick Ivison who is a qaudriplegic and a surfer thanks largely to LRO. A group of surf athletes (including members of his high school surf team) have worked to provide the passion of surfing to a young man who wants it more than most. Click here to check out the piece from the Today Show.