live strong ZACH!

A message from Michael Hollstrom...... friend of Zach DeRidder, who is surviving cancer:

And click here to see a great inspiring video!


My friend Zach DeRidder is a 23 year-old cancer triathlete and a finalist in a video contest to win an autographed bike signed by Lance Armstrong. During the summer of 2007, I followed him around New York State filming him and cheering him on as he finished an unbelievable 16 athletic events with a tumor on his liver the size of two grapefruits. While undergoing treatment for liver cancer, Zach completed a total of 8 triathlons, 1 dauthlon, 6 foot races, and 1 century bike ride. I helped my friend start his own foundation to raise money for cancer, launch a website, and raise over $1000 for a cross-country bike trip he hoped to take in the near future . . .

Then in Sept 2007, Zach was hospitalized unexpectedly and fell into a near-fatal coma. In the hospital he lost his strength, his weight, his memory, and almost his life. With surgical removal of the tumor impossible and after being rejected for a liver transplant, Zach returned home to his family in November and began re-learning how to read, tie his shoes, and do just about everything. Not surprisingly, Zach quickly started gaining his strength back by doing push-ups, sit-ups, walking, and biking. Throughout 2008, Zach has been in and out of the hospital for comparatively minor issues such as kidney stones.

Miraculously, an MRI in August 2008 found that Zach's tumor shrunk for the first time since it was discovered in December 2005. Liver cancer messed with the wrong man! Zach's on his way to accomplishing his biggest goals of beating cancer, going to college, and starting a family.

Today, Lance Armstrong offers us a chance to share Zach's incredible story to build public awareness of cancer and inspire everyone we know to face difficult challenges with courage and optimism. He put out a video contest last month daring you to send him a video describing how you dared to make a difference in your life and in the lives of others by overcoming serious obstacles.

Lance's team selected Zach as a finalist (mhallstr4). Now it's up to us to select Zach as the winner of the autographed bike.

1. Email this message to everyone you know.
2. Vote for Zach's video (mhallstr4) on this website once a day through Sunday, Sept 21: http://www.livestrong.com/contest/youtube-share-your-story/

Thank you on behalf of Zach, his friends, his family, and everyone affected by cancer for forwarding this message to everyone you know and helping Zach win the autographed bike.