So your biopsy is positive for cancer....

June 7th, 2016: "So your biopsy has come back as cancer..."  That is what I heard sitting in the Vancouver airport waiting for my flight home to Penticton as we wound down a vacation.

On May 26th at 11:30am I had a quick and dirty lip surgery in our local ENTs clinic to remove scar tissue in my lip. Both my family doctor and the ENT specialist quoted "I have no idea what that is so lets cut it off". So I was on the doctor bed for about 30 minutes, received a topical freezing like going to the dentist, smelled some burning flesh to cauterize my lip and I left with 6 stitches in my lip just in time for my vacation home to Dundas and Toronto.  While on vacation I did research and listened to my RN Mother-in-law and GP sister for all things about Squamous Cell Carcinoma. 94% of the time this cancer stays localized and is cured by removing the tumour. It is caused by excessive exposure to sun, smoking and alcohol. I was batting 66%.

"That's a big word doc" I said holding Meredith's hand in the airport, "what now?"

"I will see you in about 10 days and we do surgery to remove the tumour. Its not an aggressive cancer. I will have my secretary call you" and with that he hung up as I sat there. My next action I regret. I got up, and walked. I left my wingman sitting there. Probably more petrified than I was. I called my sister. We chatted. She gave me confidence. Joanne had that mix of big sis tone and professional calm only a Dr. can display.

I took a deep breath and head hung low walked back to Meredith. I can't believe I left her there. I sat down and told her I called Joanne and we should be ok. But it's cancer. That is all I heard. That is all she heard. I have cancer.  And all I could think about was that 6%.

If I look back I have been in the sun training and racing for 20 years. And rarely if ever did I wear SPF/UVA lip balm. I used sun screen religiously on my face, arms, and neck; rarely on my legs and just never on my lips. I have had a lifetime of cold sores. What I was hearing made perfect logical scary sense. I am a red headed Welsh-Canadian who burns easy. Of course if anything I would effectively get it is LIP CANCER. I sat up a few nights just thinking. My runs and rides I did that week were 100% every minute of every km burning and thinking about 6% as the odds that anyone who has ever heard the word cancer would want. 6% is gold betting money in the cancer game and that is what I have to play with. Take it. Run with it. Feel good about it.

I was petrified. Meredith stood her ground.

I told my team at work. They were great. I told my boss. He was and is amazing. I shared with close friends back in Ontario and select peers at work too.

And I talked with my sister again and of course my dad. Both are solids.

Everyone around me were great. But I couldn't help but think everything, I mean everything, has changed.

Perspective. Outlook. What matters. What do I want to do? Where do I want to live? Who do I want to be around? What do I want to accomplish? What legacy do I want to leave? Crazy these are the thoughts that rumble endlessly despite my 94% odds. It still circles and permeates and seeps into every ounce of me irregardless of my inner voice fighting the drama of it all. On one hand were all these life changing thoughts and on the other was a quick surgery and life is all back to normal.

On June 16th we booked the surgery at the Penticton hospital for the 21st. I will have my choice of anaesthesia and my ENT Dr. will remove the tumour and quote "99% of the time we are done there". So far I like what I have heard. We have dropped from 6 to 1%. But then I heard, "It will be more evasive than the first time. We will talk more at the hospital"

More evasive? The first 6 stitcher was bloody awful! Now I am petrified not of cancer, of surgery!

June 21st my beautiful and super domestique wife takes and waits with me at the Penticton hospital. The staff right from the welcoming team, to the floor nurse, to the Anasthesiologist and the two nurses in the surgery room and of course, my ENT were top class. I felt really and truly cared for. More than a professional way; in a personal "are you ok what can we do to make you ok" kind of way. It was top class.

I thought of my favourite music and chose to be put under. As the mask went on I was playing Grateful Dead's Help on the Way in my head which starts; "Paradise waits on a crest of a wave..."  As I awoke 90 minutes later I was hearing the song end "without love in a dream it will never come true..."

Quietly coming to grasp with where I was I heard, "his heart rate is really low....." as the machine beep, beep, beeps...."well his resting was 40...."

I turned to the machine and saw my HR. New PB....29! Then said, "then unplug it! Its bloody awful"

2 added drips of morphine. 2 Percocet and a bag of ice on my lip the pain began to subside. It was clearly more evasive than the first surgery. This hurt. A LOT.

As I was discharged and feeling very high Meredith drove up. I was put in the car. Then THIS happened....

A green hatch back car came screaming into the parking lot and nearly took out a pedestrian. She barely stopped the car before head on into us. Being so high everything was playing in slow motion. I could clearly see the sheer look of terror in her face and the passenger slumped over onto her shoulder. My immediate reaction was to get out and help as she ran into the hospital. Meredith was already in drive moving around the car. She had a job to do. That job was ME! I looked into the car and he was dead. Or as close to dead as I ever want to see. Blue in color. Froth in his mouth. Eyes wide open staring fixed ahead. Horrifying. Disturbing. Big-time Perspective.

I wanted to write my marathon race report. Instead I have written an experience about cancer because I want YOU TO LEARN A LESSON FROM ME. Wear SPF/UVA LIP BALM and leave a stick in your cycling jersey. Always. Don't be half assed about this. This is not a fun experience. Trust me.

As for the marathon. Here I am day after race with Meredith. The bump visible that they "cut off" my lip. I had a PB by 15 seconds but the whole race felt awful. I was off all day. Now I guess I know why!

May 2nd after the Vancouver Marathon which frankly didn't go well. I felt drained, tired, and mentally not on Que. The scar is apparent in this photo before the biopsy. I suppose I now know why I had a cold sore and eye sty the week before the race. Body was drained. 

Here I am day after the 2nd surgery with 10 stitches.

June 22. A 10 stitcher. 

My next photo I trust will be CANCER FREE.

Rhys 1. Cancer 0. Another podium in this race we call life. #FUQCANCER

Tour for Kids - What a great cause!

Friends and family:

Yesterday I turned my whole season upside down! So many nights I have been coming home talking with Meredith, "what to do? What races? I am turning 40, what would be epic? What is it I LOVE TO DO & how can I match that as part of turning 40? Do I care? Ah screw it, just race....do what you always do..." Blah, blah, blah.....

This week it finally hit me - and it is awesome!!

Tour for Kids is a cycling adventure I have had friends do now for about 5 years or so. I have always wanted to join them but it conflicted with one Ironman or another given it landed in mid August. I don't have those commitments this year! I can do whatever I WANT TO DO. I have set goals that I can cancel; sure, why not!!!!!! So I am doing 800km's of cycling over 4 days for three Oncology camps for kids with Cancer. They are:

1. http://www.ooch.org/ - a privately funded, volunteer based organization that provides kids with cancer and kids affected by childhood cancer with a unique opportunity for growth through challenging, fun, enriching and magical experiences
2. http://www.campquality.com/ Our signature week-long camping program provides a wonderfully unique opportunity for children with cancer to put their illness behind them and concentrate on having fun! Each camper is matched with a trained adult volunteer and medical staff is on-site.
3. http://www.camptrillium.com/ The Trillium Childhood Cancer Support Centre offers and promotes recreational experiences to bring children with cancer and their families together. The Trillium Centre provides an environment that normalizes relationships and experiences, helping children and their families in the healing process and enhancing their quality of life

I am dropping quite a few of my initial 2011 season goals. I stopped running a few weeks ago so Around the Bay = GONE. Green Mountain Stage Race, while I love you so = GONE.

Big goal is now to raise some coin for this great cause by clicking HERE RIGHT NOW!

This is such a great event and I saw how it can change people just this past winter when I helped change to blown tire of one Jim Van Horne in Mississauga. He spoke so passionately about his experience doing Tour for Kids. I reflect on that a lot because while I knew it was THE JVH we didn't talk about that; we talked about this great life altering event while changing a tube. It was quite cool for a sport junkie like me. (If you don't know JVH, please; do some google searching on Canadian Sports broadcasting icons!!! This guy started it in Canada!)

And so, I ask all who read.....all twenty or so (-:)) PLEASE think about donating by clicking this link!. I know money is tight; I know everyone and their cousin ask for your money either at the soccer field, hockey rink, parent/teacher night etc.; but these camps bring life to places with so much doom and gloom that even me, a guy without kids, gets really really pumped about it AND SO CAN YOU!

Thanks for reading. I need to get riding; 800km's over 4 days = sore ass!

Train safe!

Epilogue: Boston Marathon

photos from Boston:

From Boston - Day 2: Team Hoyt defines YES YOU CAN!

Today was registration, expo, and sight seeing around Back Bay and Beacon Hill areas. But it was certainly more than that at lunch.

If you don't know the story of Dick and Rick Hoyt check out their website here: http://www.teamhoyt.com/ or visit you tube here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDnrLv6z-mM

Their story is very important, go to their site and spend 10 minutes. It is important because if you ever doubted yourself capable, if you ever found yourself on a couch saying "maybe tomorrow I will...", if you ever flatly said to yourself "I can't do that..." then this father and son story is a must read. Dick and Rick Hoyt define life and living and their message is simple; YES YOU CAN.

I grew up with this message, my mom and dad instilled it in Joanne and I. Of course Joanne proved that in her own way by graduating chemical engineering in 1990 (you know, back when only a few women did engineering!) and then onto medical school. Joanne is now coroner, doctor, and chief medical officer in her local community Atikokan. Yes, she can do anything. She is a wife and mother of two, and lover of all things outdoors including winter given where she lives! I on the other hand went to last chance U Carleton so didn't inherit the brains of the Spencer's, but hold up the life event side of the bargain with sports I guess -:)

Back to the Hoyt's; Meredith and I were walking through the expo and Dick walked by. I stopped and yelled out his name, shook his hand and let him know he is an inspiration. That was that, he was on his way. Then I heard a women ask a consierge in the convention center where Team Hoyt were speaking and Meredith and I hopped on her heels. Sure am glad we did.

Dick and Rick Hoyt told their story to the 100+ in attendance. I heard it before but I cried again in its inspiration. They had the video from Ironman Hawaii, the pictures from all their racing, their stories of breaking down barriers, they were on Oprha even! Amazing stuff! But then Rick spoke and it was chills, pure inspiration. The facts are:

- Monday is Dick and Rick's 1,000th race together
- It is their 26th Boston Marathon (get it, 26 mile race, 26th hometown marathon)
- they had to qualify for their first Boston marathon using Rick's age qualifying time (not dad's, sons!!). Nice try B.A.A, Dick and Rick qualified by running 2:45!
- they were inducted into the Ironman Hall of Fame, the first disabled athlete to do so
- Rick invented the disabled category in triathlon, that's right, broke down the doors for everybody else
- Rick's brother invented his alpha communication technique
- Dick had a heart attack about 5 years ago, Rick saved his life because without his fitness Dr.'s say he would be dead.

And Dick choked up in tears at the end when he said Monday is their 1,000th race together.

Don't ever say CAN'T again.

YES YOU CAN

YES YOU WILL

Thanks Dick for stopping today and thank you Rick for your kindness this afternoon, it was a honor.

An Ode to DuMaurier - about to live a dream!

Friends and family,

Tonight Meredith and I raised a glass (OK - bottle!) of Cakebread chardonnay together in tribute to the Boston Marathon at one of Boston's most famous fish houses, Legal Seafood. I said, "...an ode to DuMaurier..." and Meredith responded with that beautiful and endearing trucker laugh she has; indeed the Boston Marathon has always been one of the monuments of sport I never thought I could, or would do. 10 Ironmans, many 250km+ bike rides, time trails up Anikus Pass and Mt. Lemmon, sub 40 minute 10K runs off the bike; all of it and I never had the confidence or belief I would qualify and run the Boston Marathon.

so this is blog #1 from Boston, on the campus of MIT (BTW: I thought I was pretty smart till I walked around this campus!!!) and I hope to post daily from now to Tuesday.

So what does "Ode to DuMaurier" mean? Think 7 years of 'a pack a day' habit and you learn why the Boston Marathon seemed so far away when I was in my early 20's.

Last, why do this? Glad you asked.

DONATE PLEASE HERE for pediatric cancer care in Ontario.

What is it like finishing an Ironman? Take a view!

A great friend of mine recently commented on the photo that graces the header for this website. It is my finishers photo from the 2006 Ironman UK. "You look so happy" she commented. Well, LC has inpired me tell you why because it in fact has to do with cancer, comebacks, and "yes I can" moments in life.

IMUK was in 2006, 8 months after my mom passed. My sister, her husband Doug, their kids Bryan and Sarah, as well as my dad and my super domestique wife Meredith made the trip for a family vacation. I was racing and raising funds for Luekemia, the disease that my mom valiantly fought for 15 years. My previous 2 ironmans in '04, and '05 did not go well so I was in major doubt mode.

There are 4 reasons that photo, and this video, mean the world to me:
1. mom is there, guiding me through my private purgatory, and saying 'YES YOU CAN and YES YOU DID'
2. bear hugging my dad at the finish line meant everything, a private 30 second embrace I will never forget
3. never have I personally won such a mental battle within myself as in this race; in fact yes, you can do anything if you try your hardest to get 'er done.
4. Meredith's joy and pride because she knew what it meant.

Cancer sucks yes, it kills yes, but it also teaches us dignity, grace, empathy, love, and how to survive.

Thanks for reading, thanks for supporting Race 4 Kids, and remember to embrace everyday with the passion it richly deserves.

Where there is pain there is purpose - I am adding the Boston Marathon to the cause!

First, I wish to thank the many who have already contributed to the race 4 kids Ironman Lake Placid charity drive for pediatric cancer care in Ontario. I am humbled every day by the e-mails and notes we share and your commitment and faith in me is incredibly flattering. As far as training, we are progressing, but I have added a little wrinkle to up the ante a bit.

April 20th, 2009 I will toe the line for the 113th edition of the Boston Marathon. 26.2 miles through the streets of America's Irish homeland. I will raise a Guiness to all at the end in salute to my celtic mates to the north! It is not a smart idea to race such a marathon 90 days out from an Ironman, not even the elites do something this stupid, but that is not the point to my season. My season is not about performance, winning, crushing personal bests; its about kids with cancer fighting for their lives. Back me on this one, together we can change the future of these kids by donating here, safely and securely.

So, where there is pain there is purpose, and I am adding some pain spice to the suitcase of courage.

Toronto Man to Race Ironman Lake Placid for Childhood Cancer Charity

It will take Rhys Spencer more than 450 training hours covering 200+km’s of swimming, 9,000+km’s of biking, and 1200+km’s of running to train for Ironman Lake Placid and raise money for the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO).

Help him in his fight to eradicate childhood cancer by donating safely and securely here.

Rhys Spencer is a Toronto-based Ironman-distance athlete who has spent the past 10 years racing various Ironman events in North America and Europe. He is a two-time provincial age group champion, two-time amateur provincial long-course athlete of the year, Kona Ironman Championship finisher and multiple Subaru and Multisport age group winner. But his proudest accomplishments in sport have come from giving back to his community.

Over the years, Rhys has raised more than $30,000 for various charities, including: CIBC Run for the Cure; Brain Tumor Foundation’s Toronto Spring Sprint; Toronto Food Bank; and the Lymphoma and Leukemia Foundation’s Team in Training.

And now, in 2009, he is racing Ironman Lake Placid to raise funds for the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO).

Fairness for Kids with Cancer
“I have been blessed with a healthy body that can race hard for 10 hours”, says Rhys. “This is a gift and something I believe I should use to give back to my community. Everyone has a story that ties them to a cause. I have lost my mom to leukemia, my father-in-law to a brain tumour, my grandmother to bowel cancer but one of the most heart wrenching things has been watching my cousin’s 4 year old daughter battle childhood leukemia. Since the age 2 little Myleisha has undergone cancer treatment that have left her cognitively impaired. But finally, she has finished her last round of chemotherapy. While Myleisha lives in Wales, I knew that this story must be similar to lots of kids in my own back yard.”

This prompted Rhys to seek out Richard Pady and the www.race4kids.ca team who compete in various triathlon events to raise funds for POGO in honor of Richard’s daughter Elizabeth.

“What attracted me to POGO is its lack of administration fees, there are no expenses covered, no swag . Every dime I raise goes direct to this great charity,” says Rhys.

“POGO’s goal is to work towards fairness for treatment for all kids fighting cancer no matter what kind and to give all of them a fighting chance. More than 400 kids and their families will hear those words “you have cancer” this year. I know times are tight but POGO works hard to make sure that money goes a very long way!”

Facts about childhood cancer in Ontario:
- Each year in Ontario 400 kids are diagnosed with cancer
- 3,000 a year in Ontario receive cancer treatment and follow up care
- 2 Ontario kids die of cancer ever week making it the leading disease related cause of death

And, of those that survive half face significant side effects, like my little cousin Myleisha.

Taking on 226 Kilometres in 10 hours!
On July 26th, 2009 Rhys will race Ironman Lake Placid, a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride, and 42.2 km run through the Adirondack Mountains to raise funds in support of POGO. He is paying the $525 US race entry fee, all travel and hotel costs, and volounteering upwards of 20 hours per week of training time to compete in the event.

Please support Rhys in his quest by donating here, media interviews are available by calling 416-712-5362 or e-mail Rhys at rhysblog@gmail.com

For more information on POGO please visit: www.pogo.ca or http://www.race4kids.ca/