Pelotonia’s Post

Last night, In honor of the winning streak that the NC State Men’s basketball team is on through the ACC and NCAA Tournaments, My wife Jess and I watched the ESPN 30:30 documentary on NC State’s 1983 Basketball Team and their improbable run to an NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The title of the documentary is “Survive And Advance”, which is a nod to the now famous motto for that 1983 team during their winning streak. One of the main focus areas of the documentary is Jim Valvano, the legendary Wolfpack Coach and Founder of The V foundation for Cancer Research. Coach Valvano lost his battle with Cancer in 1993 but he left behind words of encouragement and an enthusiastic spirit that will be remembered forever. Jimmy V was an excellent public speaker. Two of my favorite quotes from him are “In every single day, in every walk of life, ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things.” And, “You have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. And you have to be willing to work for it.” If you have ten minutes today, I encourage you to watch his famous speech from the 1993 ESPY Awards, which he gave just one month before his death. (https://lnkd.in/e3BSwbh3) To this date, The V Foundation has raised over $353 Million Dollars for Cancer Research. In January of this year, my wife, Jess, was diagnosed with brain cancer. We have been working with the team at Duke Health since her diagnosis and have been the recipients of fantastic care and treatment while at Duke. The Duke Brain Tumor Center has a similar foundation, focused specifically on funding Brain Tumor research at Duke University. That Foundation is called ‘Angels Among Us’. Without the innovative research funded by donations to Angels Among Us, Jess’ treatments for her brain tumor would look a lot different. These donations, no matter how big or small, contribute to research that is saving the lives of thousands of people every year. The 2024 NC State Men’s Basketball team has their own motto - Why Not Us? In every single day, in every walk of life, ordinary people accomplish the extraordinary by beating cancer - so why not us? Please donate to our fight if you are able to: https://lnkd.in/eAPpjZea

Doing “mission driven” work is so much more than just feeling somewhat good about how you spend your time... Throughout my teenage & college years, I was a hardcore (#1 nationwide) American Cancer Society fundraiser and Relay for Life campus leader. We raised millions and brought together thousands in the fight against cancer. Yesterday, I received this serendipitous text exchange from one of those peers, over 10 years later. This is it. This is why. Whether you’re doing the fundraising for the research or the actual research… Funding the solution or building it… Keep going. Keep talking about it. The world is such a better place when we all do our part to move the needle forward.

Fit2Be Cancer Free kicks off TOMORROW! 🏃♂️ This virtual challenge isn't just about staying active—it's about making a difference in the fight against cancer. This year holds special meaning as we honor the memory of David Pizzo, a beloved Chapter member and community leader. In his honor, we're dedicating our efforts and funds raised to pancreatic cancer research. We strive to make 2024 our best year yet in honoring his legacy. #doitfordave Let's make a meaningful impact in the fight against cancer. Together, we can make a difference! #Fit2BeCancerFree #CEOsFL #Fit2Be Big thank you to: Andrew Koenig Bridgette Bello roy hellwege Travis Jennings Lawrence Franchetti Helen Wesley William H. (Bill) Lutes Rich Hume Rich Hume | CITY Furniture Ameris Bank Tampa Bay Business & Wealth Magazine TD SYNNEX The Kairos Exchange TECO Peoples Gas

Well, this is a post I never wanted to write nor thought that I would be writing... Shockingly my amazing nine year old daughter, Beatrix, was recently diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer. Our world has been turned upside down as we navigate through this journey of uncertainty and fear. As a parent, it's heart-wrenching to witness my daughter endure such an experience. However, despite the situation, we know that we are lucky to have the support of a strong network of family, friends and colleagues. Many people have asked how they can help and we've initiated a campaign so that you can get involved. The goals are two fold - 1) put a smile on Bea's face and 2) raise much needed funds for childhood sarcoma cancer research as well as organisations who support kids and families suffering this horrific struggle. As such, we invite you to be part of the Team Bea Official Crew - https://www.teambea.au/. We know everyone wants a pink unicorn t-shirt and we're giving you the excuse to get one! Seriously though, we'd really appreciate your message of hope for Bea and want you to become part of the team. Thanking you in advance for your support; please know it's appreciated. This is like nothing we've ever experienced. Duncan https://www.teambea.au/