Livestrong No More

No Livestrong After Lance

In an excellent piece of reporting on CBS Sunday Morning it became clear what every cancer patient already knows - Livestrong needs to go away. As a cancer survivor Livestrong's continued existence is a lie, a lie to a community that shouldn't be lied to - the 14,000,000 people living with cancer in America, millions around the world an our friends and family.



There seem to be two kinds of cancer charities. One is primarily concerned with self perpetuation the other wants to help cure cancer. Cancer patients know all about self perpetuation. We have to fight with everything we have to survive.



The time when cancer patients need an organization whose main mission is marketing itself in an endless loop of meaningless self promotion is over. We need serious people willing to sacrifice and help cure cancer. The day we cure cancer is CLOSE. 



To scam cancer patients would seem the lowest betrayal. That Livestrong was really a means to deflect negative PR from Lance Armstrong is apparent in how little value they bring to curing cancer. When Livestrong stopped making grants to cancer research their self promotion motives were clear.



To raise so much, something like $500,000,000, and provide so little is the issue at hand. There is a single and easy to identify goal - CURE CANCER.  When we created the Story of Cancer Foundation we put in hard earned savings and wrote a bylaw about self perpetuation. The Story of Cancer Foundation must spend 80% to 90% of its money on innovative ways to help cure cancer by developing innovative technology.



We want to help cancer patients, their friends and family too, but we know the biggest help is CURING CANCER!







If the Story of Cancer Foundation runs out of money either because my savings run our or we are unable to raise more for the Tech Cure Cancer Movement then we shut our doors. The day we can't take $.80 or $.90 from every dollar and spend it in concert with our cancer research partners such as the University of North Carolina's Lineberger Cancer Center, the Duke Cancer Institute (both of whom treated my leukemia), The City of Hope, Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University of Wisconsin Carbone Cancer Center is the day the Story of Cancer Foundation closes.



I can see Livestrong's trap. Cancer patients need help to THRIVE not just SURVIVE. The problem is Livestrong is dedicated to the survival of a single cancer patient whose massive ego and lie upon lies mean the fact he is willing to go out in public is an act of hubris.



I was a Lance Armstrong fan. I wouldn't have attempted Martin's Ride To Cure Cancer, my 3,300 bicycle ride across America in 2010, without Lance' inspiration. It would be easier to forgive Lance if he wasn't so LANCE-like still.



Apparently deflating a massive ego isn't so easy. The fact Lance's cancer may have come from his doping only doubles his need to ask for pardon from his most important community of supporters - cancer patients, their friends and family who have cancer by chance not design.

Livestrong Should Close

The day after Lance makes a sincere and honest apology Livestrong should take all of its war chest money and cease to exist (and Hell will probably freeze over). Cancer patients don't need Livestrong. Please DON'T wear the yellow bracelets since those bracelets are painful lies to a community who only has time for HONESTY.



Please DON'T give Livestrong money, buy their branded merchandise or advocate for them since to do so HURTS people you want to help - cancer survivors like me. I've sold my house and am trying to sell every material thing I own so that EVERYTHING I have goes to help cure cancer.



The day Livestrong and Lance make similar moves they can be forgiven. Follow the MONEY. If they are still asking for your money with $100M in the bank and programs that aren't helping cure cancer (programs that are way too little too late) please DON'T GIVE MONEY to such a group of cancer con artists.



If they make an effort to do the right thing forgive them, until then AVOID Livestrong.



Cure Cancer Starter won't get caught in the Livestrong trap. If we can't give 80% to 90% of my savings and every dollar donated to projects with a direct line to curing cancer we will close. If we run out of money we run out of money, but we will never self perpetuate with donor money since no cancer patient gets to ward off their disease with a bracelet, a windbreaker or by drinking from a Livestrong water bottle. If we sell you a water bottle trust that 100% of the profits went toward funding cancer research!



Livestrong should just STOP. There should be no Livestrong after Lance (period full stop).