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Personal Stories of Hope Inspire Cancer Survivors

Cyclist on Lance Armstrong’s 2004 “Tour of Hope” delivers inspiring keynote address at Kimmel

Lance Armstrong introduces Kristen Adelman on his 2004 “Tour of Hope.”

“Don’t ever give up – ever! You never know what you can do until you try.”

That was one of two inspired messages of hope delivered recently to more than 100 cancer survivors and their families by Kristen Adelman at the Kimmel Cancer Center (KCC) at Jefferson’s sixth annual Celebration of Life.

Her other message: find out about available clinical trials of new, leading-edge cancer treatments in which you or a loved one may qualify to participate.

Ms. Adelman, a three-time non-Hodgkins lymphoma survivor, was a member of fellow cancer survivor and champion cyclist Lance Armstrong’s October 2004 “Tour of Hope,” an inspirational cross-country cycling journey.

Calling herself the “living proof of miracles,” Ms. Adelman, who is also a Maryland school teacher and an accomplished triathelete and marathon runner, told the full house at KCC how she repeatedly fought back against recurrence of cancer following its first onset five years ago, when she had just turned 30.

“In two and a half years, my cancer returned with a vengeance three times. I was never in remission longer than six months. I endured several rounds of chemotherapy, eight weeks of radiation, two stem cell transplants. I’m living proof of miracles, second, third and even fourth chances,” she declared

Turning of the Tide
During her treatment, Ms. Adelman was determined not to let cancer prevent her from getting on with her life. Toward that end, she not only continued to train for and participate in triathlons but also purchased a bicycle similar to Armstrong’s.

“Buying that bike denied me permission to lay on the couch throughout my chemotherapy,” she reasoned.

The turning point in Ms. Adelman’s battle came when she was accepted in a clinical trial at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, where she underwent transplantation of stem cells donated by her brother. During her stay, she clocked 100 miles on a stationary bike in her room to keep her resolve firm.

Although that transplant left her feeling much better, it took another to vanquish the cancer from Ms. Adelman’s body. She has now been in remission for over two and a half years.

“When I meet people now,” she told the audience at KCC, “I give them two important messages: first, about clinical trials, and second, not to give up. When you’re undergoing chemotherapy, it feels like it will last forever. But if you hang in there, a brighter day will come. In the movie Castaway, someone asks the character played by Tom Hanks how he managed to keep going every day for so long, stranded on an island. He replies, ‘I never knew what the tide would bring in.’ One day, the tide finally brought in what he needed to get off the island. The tide came in for me the day my doctor contacted the National Cancer Institute to get me into that clinical trial. That phone call saved my life!”

Riding with Lance Armstrong
In spring 2003, Ms. Adelman participated in a local bike ride in Washington, DC, sponsored by the Lance Armstrong Foundation. After that, she saw the national team that had ridden with Armstrong on his 2003 “Tour of Hope” across America to educate and encourage people regarding cancer survival.

“They had been spending their time and energy reaching out to the cancer community,” she said. “I knew I had to be a part of that. And I wanted to thank Lance personally for the inspiration he had given me through his book [ It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life].”

Ms. Adelman applied to ride in Armstrong’s 2004 Tour of Hope and was one of 20 accepted from 1200 applicants to cycle with Armstrong, in shifts, across the country, stopping along the way at various schools, hospitals and rallies to spread their messages of hope to cancer patients and their friends and loved ones.

“At one stop, I met a woman whose friend was going through a second bout with cancer," Ms. Adelman recalled. “Just to see how happy and grateful it made her to meet us and hear our messages of hope made the experience worthwhile.

“Of course, getting to ride with and thank Lance was fantastic and an incredible opportunity,” she added. “He’s a very humble person.

“Each one of us has a special and vital role in fighting cancer,” Ms. Adelman concluded. “I encourage you to keep fighting and to help others to find clinical trials.”

Benefiting from Clinical Trials
Two more speakers who had benefited by either participating in or working with clinical trials as part of their treatment followed Ms. Adelman at the KCC’s Celebration of Life.

Terry Buie, “a mother and grandmother,” said, “I’ve yet to speak about this out loud and never thought I could, so thank you.” She stressed how grateful she was for choosing the clinical trial option and credited her six-year-old grandson with being “my joy and inspiration.”

Tracey Nardi was 21 when her Hodgkin’s disease began. But she was not diagnosed correctly until she was 22, more than six years ago. With the disease now in remission for more than five years, she said, “I became a survivor the day I was diagnosed. I knew it would never beat me.” She is now working at what she calls her “dream job” – Clinical Research Assistant for KCC.