Translation part 2

For my friends in the US, the UK, South Africa and New Zealand, here is the second translation of my story about cancer. It is for a good cause, cancer awareness that is important for me to share with you. I am not done with it yet, it is a "to be continued" story.

Today someone told me some of his story, an American guy who is living in the Netherlands for a while. He is working at a rehab and helps addicts get clean. His story was special for me. Years ago he was a junkie in the streets of San Francisco and got arrested. He was in prison and had to stay there for another 8 months and the doctor told him he had cancer and that he had about 6 more months to live. That was 1999. He turned his life around and chooses to no longer hide in using drugs; today he helps young addicts in the Netherlands. His cancer showed him that he could die and he chooses life.

That reminded me of my little mission, I need to continue, because my story about Alpe duZes is not done yet. Cancer is a shitty nasty disease and when I heard his story I was surprised. Not because he is clean, I was surprised because he is a cancer survivor. Before my dad got sick I was one of those people to whom such a thing would never happen, now that I know my dad is a cancer patient it seems as if my vision got narrow, as if I believe somewhere that we, my family are the only ones. Two extremes that are not correct, that both do not contribute to a unity. My first thought was based in fear and denial, it would not happen to me and my family. The second thought is one of survival, a tunnel vision, my life and my feelings. Both are not realistic and not productive. Reality is that each and every one of us will in one way or another be faced with this disease, may it be personal, family or friends or coworkers, we will be faced with cancer. A realistic view on this makes that we can acknowledge cancer, and that we can carry it together. Cancer is a lonely disease, for the patient and his family and by admitting that it is there we will be able to have a better understanding and that the disease will be less lonely. Yes! Is that Utopia? I hope not!

So Jip is going to cycle up that mountain, by doing that money gets donated, Jip needs to get sponsors and help from us. I have no clue how it is to cycle up that mountain, I do know that I am making it somewhat big in my head. It seems like some job to do. I do get that training before hand is needed, because cycling it up and down, several times a day really is something. So Jip is doing what he can do right now when it comes to training, also sports other than cycling because it is winter now. Because Jip has some back issues going on he is doing a lot of core stability training, but he is also running, mountainbiking and track cycling. When the weather is getting better he will go on the road again. At this time of the year the cycling he does is mostly focused on endurance, Jip is making at least 4 hr rides. One thing that I know is that that is pretty heavy with this cold, I can do it for two hours in this weather. I notice my body burns a lot more and that my feet are hurting from the cold. At the same time it is really nice, I call it red cheek weather. What I like about what Jip is doing now is that this ride that is taking place in the summer has already started in a way.

Because this Holland is so flat he also goes to other countries for his training, and over here he is making use of the few hills that we have. I sorta envy him in a way, as what he is doing is still theory for me. Jip told me about what is so charming about climbing, that it shows really clear what you can do, how strong you are. Climbing is more a fight with yourself and not as much with the road that goes up. How willing are you to go deep? He also told me that he loves the locations and the views, the nature. And the joy of going down, according to Jip it is enjoying speed and control.

I believe him in that, I believe that it is beautiful and that it is fun to do, that a cyclist gets something out of it. And this is also where I realize that it is very cool what Jip is going to do, but I also see that there is a huge bonus in it for him. It is a very cool challenge and also in doing good there is also always some “getting good”. It feels nice to do something good. For me the writing about Jip and about cancer is giving me joy. I am unable to do what Jip does, as I am not so strong yet, but in my own way I am contributing. Writing about a good cause is way more fun than simply putting some money on a account. I feel part of the cause. What I like is that this action gives cancer a face. Alpe duZes has a face for me, that is Jip who is going to cycle. On the site of Alpe duZes you can find more cyclists and teams, with a little story that tells you why they do it and who they are. That makes it very personal. You can choose your own cyclist and for the true fanatics…. You can go there and watch or better yet, you can volunteer. This is way better for me than just donating money on a bank account, I am part of the action now in my own way, I can contribute more than money and be part of this collective fight against cancer. That is also what I like about reading the motivations of the cyclists who are doing it. They all have their own reason.

Cancer touches everybody’s life, one way or another...

Jip is not unique, I am not unique, my dad is not unique, the clubmember of Jip is not unique, Lance Armstrong is not unique, the guy who told his story is also not unique, my neighbor who just lost her husband, not unique, the parents of a bold little boy in the hospital … also not unique.

I am so grateful that I am allowed to contribute a bit of my life.

To be continued....

Translation

For my friends in the US, the UK, South Africa and New Zealand.
I have decided to translate my latest posts because the topic is one that is too important for me to not share with you. It is a "to be continued" story and today I will post the translations of the first two.

Climbing  the Alpe d’Huez in 53 minutes? Not a problem at all mate, how many times you want me to do it?

Croix du Fer, Telegraph, Glandon, Galibier, Les Deux Alpes, Ballon d’alsace, Grand Ballon, Petit Ballon, Col de Grosse, Col de la Schlucht, Cold de Honeck en de Col du Bramont.

Now what do they have in common? They are all climbs in France.

Passo Campalongo, Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo Gardena, Colle Santa Lucia, Passo Giau, Passo Falzarego, Passo Valporola. Colle dell’ Agnello, Col de la Lombarde, S’ Anna Di Vinadio,  Colle di Sampeyre, de Colle di Fauniera (AKA Colle dei Morti) en de Madonna del Colletto.

 And these have in common ... They are all in Italy.

So what do these French and Italian climbs have in common then? For starters, that I have not cycled on any one of them yet, I’d like to, but I am scared and I’d love to learn how, before I start such a thing.  Living in Holland it is hard to learn how, this country is as flat as can be.

Unlike most of them, today’s writing is not about me. The above climbs have another thing in common and that is Jip (that is a Dutch name). And next to cycling, Jip and I have something else in common; we both have something with cancer. And that is what I am writing about today.

My conection with cancer is a family bond, my dad is a two time cancer survivor. My dad has always been my best buddy, since I was a little girl. Sure, in puberty my perspective on that was a different one, but if there is one person who can read me, who understands me without words, who knows what makes me tick like no other can, it’s my dad. Oh dear, at the same time he can push my buttons and piss me off and I can do the same with him. We are so alike and can be in these ever going discussions, be in each other’s way and love each other in a way that nobody really understands. If he and I are in our little way my mom calls us: “Mentink and Mentink”, there is no stopping us. My parents live in the South of France.  When my dad had cancer for the first time and he told me, it didn’t really hit home for me. I was busy in my “Amsterdam-life” and it all wasn’t reality for me. The second time he had cancer it was in the bone of his skull, sorta, it was a rare type of cancer. In December 2006, during Christmas, my dad was all alone in the hospital in Paris where they treated him in a specific way. My mom was at home, near Toulouse and I was in Amsterdam. Due to live circumstances and poor personal life choices I was unable to go see my dad. I was so sad because of that, I also experienced a lot of guilt and shame because of it. The idea that my dad was all by himself, still makes me cry almost. At the end of this month my dad will have another check up, he has been having pain at a certain spot lately, I hope it is not cancer again.

Having cancer in the family illustrates that life will end one day. Cancer makes that I understand on a deeper level that my dad will not always be there, his life will come to an end one day. Not only does it show that his life will end it also touches me and my current shape or position. I am Rose, the daughter of Bart, if Bart is gone my status as the daughter of Bart will change. Still what touches me most is that my dad had to go through this alone and what he had to go through while he was sick, while he was fighting the cancer. I would do everything to turn the clock around and be there for him.

Guus van den Anker (a Dutch name) was a member of the same cycling club as Jip and during the ‘90’s Guus got bone marrow cancer. After heavy treatment and recovery it seemed as if Guus had beaten the cancer. Only some years later it came back and Guus died. Jip, a huge fan, got inspired by Lance Armstrong. How Armstrong, after he battled cancer, had enormous successes in cycling (Armstrong won Le Tour de France 7 times) and knew how to get the world’s attention for cancer made that Jip wanted to ride a Livestrong ride in the US. Jip’s cycling club is also riding the “Ride for the Roses”.  Instead of the Livestrong ride Jip is now going to do something else, he is going to have the battle with himself by participating in the “Alpe d’huZes” (Zes is Dutch for six). By climbing the Alpe d’Huez several times on one day, he wants to make the battle against cancer tangible and visible.

The cyclists who are participating in the Alpe d’huZes are collecting money by cycling up that mountain at least 6 times on one day. They collect money by looking for people willing to sponsor them and the money they collect will contribute in the battle against cancer. Jip’s aim is high; he will go up 8 times.

To be continued…