What One Man Can Do For Cancer

In my online journalism class, we talk about social media all the time and how social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook are taking over mainstream news outlets.

There are people out their who can’t stomach this thought and can’t stomach the different renovations Facebook has gone through since it first came out in 2004.

I’m hear to tell you to stop knocking Facebook, and here’s why.  Back when my father was diagnosed with lung cancer in June 2008, I became a fan of the “LIVESTRONG” page on Facebook.

I wrote my dad’s story on the group wall and within in a day I got a reply from a man who lives in North Carolina but has become a friend.  His name is John Zeidner.

John sent me a message on Facebook and told me how his mom was battling lung cancer as well.  He then told me he was an advocate for LiveStrong in Carolina, and if there was anything he could do for me to let him know.

 

John's mom, Vivian.

Over the course of his mom and my dad’s cancer battles, we were able to stay in touch with one another through Facebook messages.  I found out John’s dad had also died from cancer when John was 14.

After having cancer affect his family again with his mother, John wasn’t just going to sit there and ask, “Why did this happen to my family again?”  Instead, he became an advocate for cancer research and fundraising, so that no other family would have to go through what John’s family did twice.

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“I think fundraising for cancer fighting organizations like The Lance Armstrong Foundation is extremely important because cancer effects just about everyone we know.

"Whether it’s ourselves or our loved ones or friends or neighbors, at any given time it seems we all know someone battling cancer. An American dies of cancer every single minute of every single day. That’s about 1,500 Americans every day.

"Not only does fund-raising help generate much needed money for people currently fighting cancer, others that are living after their cancer treatments, and for vital medical research to find cures, it also raises awareness of the disease in our communities, schools, churches and workplace and the need for all of us to do our part to make a difference.” - John Zeidner

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Before I get to the story of the latest way John raised money for cancer, John’s mother, Vivian, passed away this past January surronded by family and friends.

John and his sister kept a blog of Vivian’s life throughout her battle with cancer.  I advise you to check it out because it really will teach you how to enjoy life.

On April 20, 2009, in Boston, Mass., it was Patriots Day.  Not only does Patriots Day include an 11:05 Red Sox start, but it also includes the 26.2 mile Boston Marathon.  Thanks to John, my dad was there running the race.

John Zeidner

You see, I’m about to tell you a story that didn’t get picked up by any type of media except in John’s local hometown.  You’re about to hear a story of a man who just made so many families proud around the world, yet it went unnoticed.

When my father passed away during the earlier morning hours of April 12th, I got a call from John later that afternoon.  He told he that he would be running in the Boston Marathon.

He said any family that donated money to the fund-raiser he set up for LiveStrong, he would write the name of the cancer victim on his shirt so that the cancer victims could run the race as well.

John wearing the shirt he wore for the Boston Marathon

“There were about 70 names on my Team LiveStrong yellow jersey,” John said. “The names represented cancer warriors around the world…those who have fought cancer and won, those who have fallen and many who are fighting for their lives right now.”

During my phone call with John that afternoon, he told me he wanted my father’s name on his shirt.  John never asked for money from me.  He knew what I was going through and just wanted to help.  He wanted to do something special for my family. 

Throughout my father’s battle with cancer, we never, ever thought my father would be able to run the Boston Marathon, but thanks to John, he made that possible.

The shirt with all the cancer victim's names.

For my family, who four days before my father died, we witnessed a man who couldn’t even stand up out of a chair without help.

A week later, he was running the Boston Marathon. It’s overwhelming to lose a family member to cancer, but what my father had deteriorated to the last few weeks of his life wasn’t fair. 

Thanks to the caring nature of John (who never has met my family or myself), my father was not forgotten.

Obviously, a 26.2 mile race is not easy to finish, especially for a guy who has run just four marathon’s his entire life, has a job and family to support. 

He doesn’t have the training mechanisms that other people have when training for marathons, but he has determination and I’m so happy to say that John finished the race.

“Each and every name came carried me through the race last Monday,” John said. “Knowing that their loved ones “ran the Boston Marathon” with me made them very happy and gave me a very special honor and inspiration.”

Look at the view my dad had when running the race (John's left shoulder)!

What makes what John did so special is that he didn’t even run the race for himself.  He ran it for his mom, his dad, my dad, and so many other people around the world.  And, he finished the race in four hours, 19 minutes, and five seconds! 

The fact that he finished the race is incredible, after all this isn’t a guy who runs races for a living and is 43 years old, but to do it in the time he did it was truly amazing.

“I proudly finished the Boston Marathon in 4:19:05,” John said, “about a 9:50 mile per minute pace and came in about 18,000th place out of about 27,000 runners.  It was a privilege to be able to participate in the event and a lifetime memory for me.”

John’s fundraising efforts raised about $6,000 for the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  In total, there were 40 runners running for LiveStrong in the Boston Marathon, who raised $150,000.

I’m hoping by writing this blog that you will share John’s story with other people.  Please, John deserves some recognition for what he has done.  He is doing everything in his power to help find ways to cure cancer. 

The more people that hear about his story, the easier that will be.  He’ll continue to run the marathons if need be.

If you were inspired by what John did and would like to donate to LiveStrong so that you’re family doesn’t have to go through what John’s and mine did, John is still fundraising for the next 20 days. 

Please email me at matt.chudoba@gmail and I will tell you how to go about donating.  If you can not donate, then please just pass this story along.

Till next time, LiveStrong,

-Matt-