Keith arrived home from the LIVESTRONG Challenge in Austin with the Palmetto Peleton Project-Challenge to Conquer Cancer teams and I returned from the Zucker Ride for Hope in Charleston, South Carolina and we were both exhilirated with our own individual participation levels in supporting both these great cycling events and anxious to share our stories with one another. No matter how exhausted you are, you are so filled with inspiration when you have been in the midst of collective Warriors and Survivors and bring back to the home plate another inning to be won.
Keith has rested up just in time to kick off our end of the year fundraising campaigns for the BTAO and gearing up for the George Pocheptsov Arts Auction and Traveling Exhibit that will benefit this organization and allow us to distribute resources to patients and their families and secure a physical home where volunteers can assist us in our many tasks.

George is an internationally renowned artist who was recognized as a child prodigy at age 4. George has been commissioned by such celebrities as Michael Jordan, Celine Dion, General Colin Powell and others. The BTAO first became acquainted with George when I began seeking the support for a Semi-Postal Stamp to benefit brain tumor research. George and I have been diligent in the discussions and are still hopeful that there will such a stamp and that George will be the artist that is chosen. The BTAO is working with George on the design of a commemorative stamp to benefit the BTAO and allow its mission to reach beyond state borders, national borders and across international borders one day.
The BTAO is seeking venues to display George’s paintings throughout the holiday season so that South Carolinians can embrace the talent of this fine artist and learn more about the mission of The Brain Tumor Awareness Organization. We ask that you contact us if you would like to present these works to your community.
The Zucker Ride For Hope was held on the same day as the LIVESTRONG Challenge and it was tough to not be able to see Keith complete 45 miles of the Challenge when he had only trained for short distances in less than 2 months.

It was also disappointing for Keith that he couldn’t be at the inaugural cycling event in honor of Jerry Zucker, a brain tumor angel and incredible citizen of Charleston. Although neither of us knew Jerry, we were so honored to be able to represent our organization and also The Lance Armstrong Foundation at this wonderful event.
It was a beautiful day and a great turnout. We were able to spend some time getting to know our new fundraising chair Michael Dennis who swept us away with his enthusiasm for The Lance Armstrong Foundation and cycling during the Stars and Stripes Challenge in Greenville, SC. Thank you Michael for allowing us to assist you and the rest of the cyclists to start your Charleston LIVESTRONG Army!

ICYOU.com interviewed Dawson Cherry who pulled this event together and did an outstanding job! It is just the beginning for Charleston to raise awareness and funds for area cancer organizations and assist patients through their journey.

Our pediatric advocate Julie Long came over from Georgetown, SC and brought pediatric brain tumor survivors who were also members of the Courageous Kidz group and they all donated pedestrian miles to the BTAO event-The International Brain Tumor Alliance’s Walk Around the World for Brain Tumours. We logged a total of 2277 miles between these folks and 4 other groups around the state.

Julie and her daughter Skyla are a real inspiration and have a tremendous survival story. This was the first time that Julie and Julie (me) had met! We both spend a lot of our time in the middle of the night navigating patients and their families to resources and assisting them through the various processes that befall them. The message is…there is hope and you are not alone!
Our friend and board secretary, Janet MacCallum is the longest GBM survivor that we know of-22 years! Her treatment was at University of Alabama-Birmingham when Dr. Henry Friedman was an intern there and it involved injections of radiated cancer cells. This may have been the predecessor of Keith’s treatment 6 years ago!

Last but not least, was my turn. I was excited to discuss the treatment that Keith and David Bailey had and that it is being offered by MUSC by Bradmer Pharmaceuticals for GBM patients.

When you have a story, you have to tell it but when it can share hope, inspire others, raise awareness, funding and bring about public, social and policy changes, then you know you are onto something!
It was a great experience from South Carolina to Texas. And to top it off, many of you may not know that Keith is the great-g-g-g-nephew of General Sam Houston and he went to visit the Sam Houston State University and his home in Huntsville, Texas. All Houston men look exactly the same in profile and body stature! None of them that I know of, cycled in Texas before Keith! Way to go Houston!