My name is Alfonso A. De Leon III, but as Paul Simon once sang "you can call me Al" My story and battle with cancer starts during the Fourth of July weekend of 1985. I was 13, and my sister and I were spending the summer with my Uncle Albert in Austin, and I became very sick, very sick. He took me to his clinic and I still remember when the Dr. walked in and one of the first things he said was “wow that looks like Hodgkin’s” after a few test I was rushed to Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, where I underwent surgery to remove several tumors from the right side of my neck. I was diagnosed with Stage IV-B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, commonly referred as Hodgkin’s disease (yep, he was right). I would spend the next three years on and off chemotherapy and radiation treatments, more surgeries to remove more tumors, spleen and the worst bone marrow. Even after I was placed on remission (for the second time) cancer still affected me, from lung to heart issues, and the stereotype of having had cancer would plaque me for years both mentally, emotionally and physically. The worst is the fear of getting another form of cancer because of the treatments I received. This would lead me to spend the next 24 years pretending that it never happened and forgetting everything I went through, I would lie about my scares and for the most part keep this a secret. Most people will never understand what cancer has robbed me and my family. I probably would have continued living my life as if it never happened until one day I was reminded and all the memories came flooding back like a runaway train. It was then that I realized that cancer still had a hold on me even if I pretended it didn’t. That is when I realized that I was tired of living in fear. I’m not sure if it was the fact that I had children, but I could no longer sit around not doing anything. The last thing I would want is to receive news that there nothing for doctor’s do for my children or my granddaughter. This is the reason I fundraise, why I run, every dollar I raise could be that last dollar needed to find that cure and that cure could very well save their life. My goal is simple, I want to raise $1 for every mile I run, walk or ride. I’m setting my goal for $200 in which I will run, walk or ride 200 mile in the month of September. We all could spare a few bucks! Don’t forget that Childhood Cancer research receives less than 5% funding, that is the about the average from all the main cancer organizations. Children deserve a future too. I dedicate this in honor and memory of all my childhood cancer friends from Camp Discovery and Sunshine Kids. Thanks for keeping me sane! I also want to take this opportunity to say keep fighting to three special girls, Elise, Sarah and Lily.

It is with a heavy heart that I add to this page that on August 26 Lily passed away from Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).