[Update 11/12/11: Nelda Soben passed away today after a two year struggle with lukemia. She is survived by her husband Gary, her son Wes, and daughters Sadie and Laura. We will remember her kind heart, generous spirit, and loving soul while we cherish the memory of time spent with her.]

http://austin2011.livestrong.org/david_burns

This is the 3rd year that I’m riding the 90 miles of the LIVESTRONG Challenge, a very special event which I train for most of the year.

I’m very happy to be a part of Team McCombs, a 60-member group of students, faculty, and staff from the McCombs School of Business at UT-Austin. I’m proud to ride along side the people I work with and especially the students, who are all working hard to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others.

This year I am riding in support of my Aunt Nelda. In December, a routine checkup revealed that the cancer she’d previously fought off had returned. She has spent this year fighting tooth and nail, through long hospital stays, chemo, radiation, and all of the side effects and struggles that come with cancer treatment.

Nelda is a wonderful, loving, and generous woman with three grown children and a growing pack of young grandchildren. Her treatment has left her vulnerable to infection, so she’s had to go through nearly all of this physically isolated from those whom she most dearly loves. Cancer is cruel. She is sustained by her deep faith in God, the love of her family, and a community that she’s served with all of her heart.

So this year I ride for her, and I ask that you help support me and all of the people that are touch by cancer today, tomorrow, and the next year until we’re able to turn the tide on this disease.

The money I raise will go to support LIVESTRONG’s programs and services, which inspire and empower people affected by cancer. If you or someone you know is diagnosed, these resources will help face the challenges of cancer, head on, and live life on your own terms.

Please support me as I make a difference in the cancer fight through my participation in Team LIVESTRONG. Thank you!

http://austin2011.livestrong.org/david_burns