I began treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 1964, when I was a toddler. At that time, leukemia was a death sentence, but I survived. Through the years, I fought to maintain my health.

So, imagine my shock when a 2008 check-up revealed that my lifestyle was killing me.

I remember it like it was yesterday. My mouth dropped open when the doctor gave me the news. He said I was obese. My blood pressure and cholesterol were high. To top it off, I would soon become diabetic if I didn’t curb my sugar intake.

I thought, “No, not me! I’m a survivor. I’m going to make a complete lifestyle change.”

Healthy Choices Yield Benefits

When I arrived home, I quit drinking sugary soft drinks. That was difficult, because I drank a lot of soda. Then, I drastically reduced other sugar intake. I vowed to eat my favorite cheesecake only on special occasions. In the grocery store, I began to check every food label. I only bought foods that contained 7 grams of sugar or less per serving.

To increase my physical activity, I joined a gym. At first, I simply walked on the treadmill. Then I added in weights and began to run. Before long, I saw results: I felt stronger, my clothes fit better, and my muscles became toned.

And then I started running races.

Running Toward Fitness

My first 5K race was terrible. Every time I came to a hill, I stopped. I would walk up the hill and walk down the other side. Mad and discouraged, I said, “That’s it, no more races.” But, a few weeks later, my sister talked me into entering a local race. To my surprise, I won my age group! So I entered one more. And another. And another.

Since 2009, I’ve run 499 races. They range from 5Ks and 10Ks to 42 full marathons.

In 2018, I married my wife after one of those events. Susan handed me a bow tie as I crossed the finish line. She wore a wedding dress and running shoes, and she carried a bouquet of white roses. It was the best day ever.

If you’re a childhood cancer survivor, it’s never too late to change your lifestyle. It just takes time and a lot of willpower.

5 Tips for Taking Charge of Your Health

1. Get regular checkups. I make sure that my health care providers have a copy of my survivorship care plan. This plan helps them understand the treatment I had. It also explains the screening tests I need based on that treatment. Your doctor can also give you advice about starting an exercise program.
2. Get off the couch. Don’t feel sorry for yourself and all that you have been through. I think about my cancer journey all the time. But I know I have to take action to see results. Go for a walk. Ride a bike. Any activity that gets your heart pumping is a step in the right direction.
3. Watch what you eat. If you have a favorite dessert, cut back on it. If you eat 5 pieces of cake a week, reduce that number to 1 or 2. Eventually, you will be able to stop eating that item. Your body won’t crave it after a while.
4. Don’t rush it. Give your body time to get where you want it to be. It took between 1 and 2 years for me to lose 40 pounds, even though I was exercising nearly every day.

When you reach a goal, set a new one. I continue to watch what I eat, and I constantly work toward new goals. For example, I want to do an IRONMAN race one day. I might not reach that goal until I’m 62 or 65. But I will reach it.