Tonight on Dutch tv - A cancer survivor

[Amsterhammer]

I thought long and hard about whether or not to make a separate topic for this, or to just report it in the LA topic. I decided against the latter, as it would probably get buried between all the tantrums and childish name calling.

Although this will be of most interest to Dutch readers/speakers, I honestly think this deserves a wider audience, so I'm reporting it for the human interest angle, not as any glorification of Lance. Yes, I have a very personal interest - my wife died of metastasized breast cancer two years ago, so this whole subject is very close to my heart.

Thomas Zijlma, 23, was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain when he was 17. His doctors gave him a 0-1% chance of survival. Someone gave him Lance's book while he was undergoing chemo. On tonight's Tour show, he said that reading about Lance's similar struggle had inspired him, and that he had come to see Lance as an example and symbol for the struggle against the disease. (To be clear - no one is suggesting that LA is a savior or a miracle worker, but he certainly was a profound source of inspiration for this lad.)

Thomas took up riding in a serious way once he had beaten the odds and recovered his health, and he wrote a book - '37 Nietjes' - '37 Staples' - the number of staples used to close the wound on his head after he was operated. All proceeds from this book go to the KWF, Holland's major cancer charity.

He also rides his bike for donations. He took part in the 'Alpe d' Huzes' this year, where riders are sponsored for the climb. Thomas rode up the Alpe seven times in one day! So far, his riding has netted the KWF six million euros!!

Some of you will know that Mart Smeets is Holland's senior tv Tour journalist. Mart has a long-standing and pretty close relationship with LA, so it was no surprise that he was able to arrange a meeting between Thomas and LA before today's stage. Lance waved all attempted interruptions away while the two talked. The upshot of their talk was that LA was amazed to hear that this lad had ridden the Alpe seven times in a day, with a fastest climb of 58 minutes. They shook hands on a deal - if LA got his eighth win, Thomas would ride the Alpe eight times.

My purpose in posting this is to encourage Dutch readers to find and buy the book (as I intend to), and to encourage others to support local amateurs who do sponsored rides for cancer charities in their own countries. Those of you who don't trust Livestrong, fine, donate to another charity. But please people, support the global fight against this killer disease in some way, however small.

To all of you who have never had to deal with cancer and death in your immediate families - I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will never have to experience the horror. Those of you who have, will know where I'm coming from. I would be mightily obliged if the usual crowd could refrain from their usual cynicism and sarcasm about anything that LA does, or says, or is involved with.

Thanks for listening.

 

[BroDeal]

I thought long and hard about whether or not to make a separate topic for this, or to just report it in the LA topic.

Maybe you should have though some more and put it in the general forum instead of the racing forum.

To all of you who have never had to deal with cancer and death in your immediate families - I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will never have to experience the horror. Those of you who have, will know where I'm coming from. I would be mightily obliged if the usual crowd could refrain from their usual cynicism and sarcasm about anything that LA does, or says, or is involved with.

Why? Those of us who have had to deal it with are offended by Armstrong's fraud.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Maybe you should have though some more and put it in the general forum instead of the racing forum.

Fair comment.

Why? Those of us who have had to deal it with are offended by Armstrong's fraud.

Had to 'deal with' what? This is purely about fighting and beating cancer, not about anything else, certainly not about your own demented fixation, so kindly do one, you utter pr!ck.

 

[BroDeal]

Had to 'deal with' what? This is purely about fighting and beating cancer, not about anything else, certainly not about your own demented fixation, so kindly do one, you utter pr!ck.

I had cancer, and I am offended and disgusted by Armstrong's lies, deception, and use of the the disease to stroke his ego. If you could pull your nose out of Armstrong's ass then maybe you could see that he is a despicable man who sees the cancer "community" as a way of making money for himself. Who the hell sets up a charity and then sets up a for profit company with the same name, essentially trying to profit from the brand name built by the charity? It is not my fault that you are a chump who fell for Armstrong's BS.

 

[Anonymous]

Who the hell sets up a charity and then sets up a for profit company with the same name, essentially trying to profit from the brand name built by the charity? It is not my fault that you are a chump who fell for Armstrong's BS.

ok.. firstly because i dont want to argue in this thread.. but livestrong.com came BEFORE livestrong.org.. check your facts.. At the moment the proceeds from every livestrong band sold in france goes to a french cancer charity.. that is probably making them more than any indivdual appeal has ever done. Like lance or not, livestrong is a very powerful tool..

but....

anyway.. i think this one time we can forgive amsterhammer for posting in the racing forum rather than general, its a subject close to his heart and an excellent post, and is far more likely to get attention in this section than the other one where few people go.. Yes, we all want things in the right place, but for personal matters close to individuals hearts i think we can make the odd exception..

so thanks amsterhammer for bringnig up something personal to you, but also the story of the lad, i certainly am going to look up more about it.. shame i cant read dutch.. seven times... bloody hell.. id be happy to climb it once...

Bro, hate to say it, and im pleased that you got through the illness succesfully i really am, but considering amsters post i think on this one, starting a lance slating session when specifically asked not to, i think youre being a bit of a ****er.. i know you have an opinion, youre entitled to that, but sometimes, (like maybe i should) there is a time just to bite your tongue and shut up...

peace...

 

[BroDeal]

ok.. firstly because i dont want to argue in this thread.. but livestrong.com came BEFORE livestrong.org.. check your facts..

Maybe you should check yours. Recently Armstrong made a deal to monetize the brand name.

" Demand Media, the heavily capitalized Santa Monica-based online domain monetization and media company, has made an interesting turn: it has tied up with cycling legend and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and his foundation, to launch a health-and-wellness site LiveStrong.com. As a result of this deal, Armstrong and his Lance Armstrong Foundation will take a “significant”? equity stake in Demand Media, though the size of the stake was not disclosed. The site will launch in beta next quarter.

Demand Media has raised about $320 million from investors including Oak Investment Partners and Goldman Sachs, and according to WSJ was valued at $1 billion last year when the last investment round happened. The company has about $150 million in annual revenue and operates about 60 sites, besides its other domain activities.

“Live strong”? is Armstrong’s personal mantra as a cancer survivor, and his foundation believes that launching a for-profit site would increase awareness about the foundation and promote its core mission of helping people with cancer. Demand Media will provide the technology and social media features and will keep the ad revenue generated by the commercial site; CEO Richard Rosenblatt said his company will reinvest much of it back into the livestrong property. The foundation also owns Livestrong.org, its main website, and users will be pushed to the commercial site to this non-profit site.

Of course they’ll be in tough competition with tons of other health and wellness websites, both from media companies, product companies in the space, as well as blogs focusing on various sub-sectors.

Updated: The company tells us Demand will invest upwards of $20 million in building out LiveStrong…the deal is a four-year exclusive deal and Demand has perpetual license to the LiveStrong.com domain name. "

 

[unsheath]

That's a great human story but I sincerely wish the young man has not built his hopes up entirely on the basis of the LA fraud. I pray he's found inspiration from other sources as well. The LA story is an inspirational one only from the surface.

As for livestrong.com preceding the charity, this is totally irrelevant as the organisation is best known as a charity and it's on this basis that the organisation is marketed. A cynic might argue the latter was formed for the former's benefit.

 

[Anonymous]

That's a great human story but I sincerely wish the young man has not built his hopes up entirely on the basis of the LA fraud. I pray he's found inspiration from other sources as well. The LA story is an inspirational one only from the surface.

As for livestrong.com preceding the charity, this is totally irrelevant as the organisation is best known as a charity and it's on this basis that the organisation is marketed. A cynic might argue the latter was formed for the former's benefit.

i dont doubt that, the two benefit each other, my point was the .com was registered long before the .org, but anyway, there are an awful lot of cancer charities, cancer organisations, hospitals that would be a lot lot lot poorer without LS... but anyway...

 

[BroDeal]

i dont doubt that, the two benefit each other, my point was the .com was registered long before the .org, but anyway, there are an awful lot of cancer charities, cancer organisations, hospitals that would be a lot lot lot poorer without LS... but anyway...

So what if it was registered before the .org? Standard brand name management is to register all sorts of variations of a domain name, including many of the top level domains. What matters is what is done with the non-profit and for-profit organizations. Traffic to the .com is now being used to make some VCs rich(er).

 

[yourwelcome]

I had cancer, and I am offended and disgusted by Armstrong's lies, deception, and use of the the disease to stroke his ego. If you could pull your nose out of Armstrong's ass then maybe you could see that he is a despicable man who sees the cancer "community" as a way of making money for himself. Who the hell sets up a charity and then sets up a for profit company with the same name, essentially trying to profit from the brand name built by the charity? It is not my fault that you are a chump who fell for Armstrong's BS.

WTF? Was all that really called for? BroDeal, you're entitled to your opinion, but putting it so obnoxiously does neither you nor this forum any favours.

Far as I'm concerned it's a good story Amsterhammer.

 

[gjdavis60]

Maybe you should check yours. Recently Armstrong made a deal to monetize the brand name.

" Demand Media, the heavily capitalized Santa Monica-based online domain monetization and media company, has made an interesting turn: it has tied up with cycling legend and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong and his foundation, to launch a health-and-wellness site LiveStrong.com. As a result of this deal, Armstrong and his Lance Armstrong Foundation will take a “significant”? equity stake in Demand Media, though the size of the stake was not disclosed. The site will launch in beta next quarter.

I have no axe to grind here, but just want to point out that non-profits holding stakes or outright ownership of for-profits is both legal and quite common. Typically the split occurs so that the non-profit entity is kept separate and at arms length from the taxable operation, which often is only tangentially related (if at all) to the non-profit's mission. Often, this is done with the revenue-generating end of the non-profit. There are numerous reasons why this is desirable from the non-profit's perspective, usually related to maintaining its tax-exempt status. Still, any return on the non-profit's stake in the taxable entity must be treated the same as any other income to the non-profit, i.e., it must go to the mission or the mission-related expenses.

 

[forty four]

whether la makes a profit from his charities or not is not of much importance to me what is is the fact that he raises a **** load of money for the cancer cause. some people hate him with such unbridled passion that it skews there ability to look at anything involving la subjectively kinda sad really hes just a man why give so much of your energy.

 

[BroDeal]

whether la makes a profit from his charities or not is not of much importance to me what is is the fact that he raises a **** load of money for the cancer cause. some people hate him with such unbridled passion that it skews there ability to look at anything involving la subjectively kinda sad really hes just a man why give so much of your energy.

The old ends justify the means.

 

[rhubroma]

I think what some people are missing here, is BroDeal isn't mocking a boy gravely ill with cancer for claiming he got inspiration from Armstrong's story, but rather calling Armstrong on his cynical coopting of the cancer community for his own financial gain.

This has been poured over endlessly before, but it needs to be said again: there is a distinction to be made between what Armstrong's foundation presumably does for cancer patients, and what it does for himself.

And I agree with BroDeal in finding it distasteful and perverse that a man as rich as Armstrong needs to be making any money on the sick his foundation claims to benifit. It takes the nobility, and decorum, out of his charitable enterprise.

In doing so for financial gain too, Armstrong has demonstrated with Livestrong a less than sincere, contrary to what his propaganda says, interest in what the cause should be primarily (and to me exclusively) about: namely helping the sick. Consequently, people like BroDeal have every right to call him out on it, on his demagoguery (which is what it is), and thus challange the propaganda, though this doesn't mean he is heartless with the terminally sick. To the contrary...having suffered from cancer himself. So perhaps you should give some of that respect you more or less automatically give to Armstrong, to BroDeal, for his battle with the disease.

 

[Amsterhammer]

I think what some people are missing here, is BroDeal isn't mocking a boy gravely ill with cancer for claiming he got inspiration from Armstrong's story, but rather calling Armstrong on his cynical coopting of the cancer community for his own financial gain.

Why do you think I put the disclaimer into my text in the first place? No, you and other sad, one-track, hate-filled obsessives like the cretin who couldn't resist ruining this topic are missing the fact that this was not the place to yet again repeat your personal vendetta against Lance. This topic was not about him. It was about this boy and what he's done and how Lance's book inspired him to fight - and it was a general plea to support the fight against cancer by any means. I did not ask support for Livestrong, so the immediate 'attack' seen here was totally un-called for.

Thankfully, some understood where I was coming from and responded accordingly. Sadly, some of you are just so bitter and twisted that you apparently cannot resist p!ssing on anyone else's party from your own warped and narrow-minded perspective.

This topic should have been a positive 'good vibe' story. Instead, you lot couldn't resist dragging it down into your own gutter.

 

[Anonymous]

why do you think i put the disclaimer into my text in the first place? No, you and other sad, one-track, hate-filled obsessives like the cretin who couldn't resist ruining this topic are missing the fact that this was not the place to yet again repeat your personal vendetta against lance. This topic was not about him. It was about this boy and what he's done and how lance's book inspired him to fight - and it was a general plea to support the fight against cancer by any means. I did not ask support for livestrong, so the immediate 'attack' seen here was totally un-called for.

Thankfully, some understood where i was coming from and responded accordingly. Sadly, some of you are just so bitter and twisted that you apparently cannot resist p!ssing on anyone else's party from your own warped and narrow-minded perspective.

This topic should have been a positive 'good vibe' story. Instead, you lot couldn't resist dragging it down into your own gutter.

+1

to all of you who have never had to deal with cancer and death in your immediate families - i hope from the bottom of my heart that you will never have to experience the horror. Those of you who have, will know where i'm coming from. i would be mightily obliged if the usual crowd could refrain from their usual cynicism and sarcasm about anything that la does, or says, or is involved with.

........

 

[davidg]

Amsterhammer: Thanks for the post.

A heart-warming story. Pity a few are using it as a basis for churning out the same old rhetoric that has already been on numerous other threads.

I am neither supporting nor decrying Armstrong. I just think it is a great story.

Thanks for posting.

 

[subzro]

Thanks for the article Amsterhammer, most of us have had family and friends hit by cancer and it's good to hear about stories like this and the hope that other people can bring.

I am speechless about what those other two have said despite your three disclaimers and pleas in your initial post. Absolutely disgusting.

 

[rhubroma]

Why do you think I put the disclaimer into my text in the first place? No, you and other sad, one-track, hate-filled obsessives like the cretin who couldn't resist ruining this topic are missing the fact that this was not the place to yet again repeat your personal vendetta against Lance. This topic was not about him. It was about this boy and what he's done and how Lance's book inspired him to fight - and it was a general plea to support the fight against cancer by any means. I did not ask support for Livestrong, so the immediate 'attack' seen here was totally un-called for.

Thankfully, some understood where I was coming from and responded accordingly. Sadly, some of you are just so bitter and twisted that you apparently cannot resist p!ssing on anyone else's party from your own warped and narrow-minded perspective.

This topic should have been a positive 'good vibe' story. Instead, you lot couldn't resist dragging it down into your own gutter.

So why don't you just start a "No Criticism of Lance Fascism" thread, so we'll at least know how it is permitted (and not) to post.

"Good vibe" stories, when connected to ideological issues such as this (and your's is ideological, from the very way it was presented), fall into that range of insipid propaganda, which an anti-fascist such as myself finds totally repugnant and thoroughly nauseating.

 

[Amsterhammer]

So why don't you just start a "No Criticism of Lance Fascism" thread, so we'll at least know how it is permitted (and not) to post.

"Good vibe" stories, when connected to ideological issues such as this (and your's is ideological, from the very way it was presented), fall into that range of insipid propaganda, which an anti-fascist such as myself finds totally repugnant and thoroughly nauseating.

An anti-fascist such as myself finds your use of the word 'fascism' in the context of this story totally repugnant and utterly nauseating. I deliberately asked for no flames because I've learned what you and your kind here are like. This was the wrong topic for your obsessive ranting, and your comments and attitude simply demonstrate your juvenile inability to STFU when politely asked to do so in advance. You and your buddy have shown your true colors here for all to see.

 

[rhubroma]

You and your buddy have shown your true colors here for all to see.

Reminds me of a romantic 80's tune by Cindy Lauper. Now there's sentimental for you...

 

[rhubroma]

An anti-fascist such as myself finds your use of the word 'fascism' in the context of this story totally repugnant and utterly nauseating.

Strange your intollerance to others' ideas, has nothing to do with what I have usually considered "anti-fascist." And your monopolizing of perspective, tastelessly and hypocritically disguized behind a false plead for respect, fools only those with their eyes shut. Though you betray yourself, Amsterhammer, by the very aggressive way (this, yes, is fascist) in which you have addressed my simply critical response. So either you do believe in critical thought, or you're not as anti-fascist as you claim to be

 

[BroDeal]

Why do you think I put the disclaimer into my text in the first place?

Awww, looks like someone is upset. The same someone who spent all his initial posts complaining about other people's opinions and mocking them is now shocked that they don't bow down to his request for civility.

I'll tell you a little about what I remember about cancer. I remember my doctor giving me a range of odds for survivial. I remember the surgeries. I remember the chemotherapy. But what I remember most is that I planned exactly how and where I was going to end everything if treatment did not work out. In fact I formed an opinion that a perfectly honorable cure for cancer--if done at the right time--is suicide.

I find what Armstrong has done beyond despicable. He continues to lie to people with the disease. He sells false hope. He has enriched himself off of other people's suffering. The most disgusting thing about it is that it is unnecessary. Bernie Madoff's legitimate business was worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Some figures have it as high as eight hundred million. Yet he defrauded people anyway. He did not do it for money. He apparently did it for his own ego, so he could play a real mensch in his community. Armstrong is similar. Without holding himself out as an icon of false hope, he would still have been very wealthy and very famous. That was not enough for him. He made a conscious decision to boldy lie to people with cancer about how he won the Tour de France in order to make even more money and to feed his narcissistic personality disorder. That someone would carry out such a fraud on the afflicted just to puff himself up is appalling.

That sort of injustice should never be allowed to stay hidden, no matter what the miscreant does to deflect criticism. If society lets the rich and powerful get away with such repellent acts then it is a license for all members of society to break standards of decency. It forms a model of how success in society is to be achieved.

No one should ever keep quiet about what Armstrong has done and what he continues to do. If you want us to keep quiet then convince Armstrong to tell the truth.

 

[Kennf1]

whether la makes a profit from his charities or not is not of much importance to me what is is the fact that he raises a **** load of money for the cancer cause.

Any additional money into cancer research is good (and yes I am someone who has been "touched" by cancer--you'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't been). BUT, to put things in perspective, in 2007 LAF had total revenue of around $31,164,576. It's total expenses were $29,671,219. I would imagine these numbers have come up since then.

For comparison purposes, in the same year the Susan G. Komen foundation had $274,875,000 with expenses of $239,544,000.

 

[Titaniumtim]

Yes Amsterhammer a good post. It's nice to hear stories with an outcome like this. Maybe in turn Thomas Zijlma's story will inspire and help others as Armstrong's battle with cancer helped him.