LIVESTRONG

The day we become capable of completely defeating cancer, would be the day I wouldn't mind to die myself. Having already lost my best friend and a family member to it, the heart-warming triumphant lifestory of Lance Armstrong inspires some confidence in our ability to beat this scourge.

I really feel blessed to have been able to watch Lance's glorious victory at last year's Tour de France. The evening chill up in the Garo hills, Shillong, would act as a beacon to put away my books and enjoy four hours of absolute bliss. Having done my homework on the race, it was great fun to try to explain to my dad why Lance was still coming first inspite of not winning a single stage.

Just the other day at a family get together, my kid bro just happened to ask me about the yellow band that I was wearing and hold very dear to my heart. The poor guy was in for a long haul as I covered the details of the tour through to the 'Science of Lance Armstrong' (a wonderful episode I saw on the Discovery Channel explaining the aerodynamics involved in the sport and the awesome fact that because Lance's body utilizes more oxygen per breath and produces less of lactic acid as compared to a normal male, he is able to go on cycling for a longer time without getting too tired and perhaps these were instrumental in ensuring his remarkable recovery after cancer treatment as well). "That was probably the last time I ever ask you anything dids" , I thought I heard him say!!

Call me weird but the fact that everyone seems to be wearing this band without knowing the 'L' of Livestrong (the motto of his Cancer Research Foundation) which is inscribed on it, I consider it as my moral duty to enlighten them.

God bless Lance and his family!