The breast cancer didn’t appear in an MRI or mammogram. Lisa discovered it on her own, through self-examination.
Dedicated fitness enthusiasts often enjoy a heightened bodily awareness, but using that awareness as a tool to discover cancer is not what most of us have in mind. In Lisa’s case, it probably saved her life.
Lisa as athlete: Tonia Schmidt, Lisa, Brenda Berry, and Kathi McMahon celebrate a 2nd place finish at the 2007 State Team Time Trial Championships.
Faced with what for most would have been a demoralizing personal catastrophe, Lisa got on her bike and started to pedal. Lisa credits a speedy and uneventful recovery to regular exercise and bicycle competition throughout her treatment process, which included a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and breast reconstruction. Needless to say, Lisa’s determination in the face of cancer has inspired her cycling buddies.
Lisa’s chemotherapy coincided with most of the competitive cycling season and carried on from March through August. Finally, only when the season came to a close, did she realize her body was telling her to slow down.
Lisa as mom: son Garrett, Lisa, daughter Lindsay, and husband Mark.
Slowing down means different things to different people, however. Motivated by her experience, Lisa organized the non-profit Lisa Lund Fund to raise money for local breast cancer charities and breast cancer patients who are under-insured or not insured. The charity’s first project is an attention-getting calendar (caution, mild nudity) featuring nude images of Lisa and 11 other women. The calendar project is being done in collaboration with photographer Pete Saloutos. Since the calendar project has been a success, Pete and the women are starting to talk about a 2009 edition.
Given the context of the project, my reaction to the calendar images is that in the face of mortality, whatever costumes we wear in our daily lives are irrelevant. As Lisa and I chatted about the images, we realized that clothing (or our cycling gear!) often serves as an emotional shield. When the threat of death is near that emotional shielding effect disappears.
Meet Lisa Lund and friends, make a contribution to the Lisa Lund Fund, and get a copy of the signed calendar.
The Calendar Signing Event
You can meet Lisa and friends Friday, December 14 at 6:30PM at Third Place Books. The first public event on Bainbridge Island raised about $4,500. Lisa is hoping that this second event can raise even more for the charity. The timing should be perfect; a calendar with this message will make a perfect holiday gift for the right person, and the donation is tax-deductable.
