Every Race a Celebration:
Breast Cancer Survivor is PPD Beach2Battleship Hero
By Joe Nuss
In 2001, soon after completing the Boston Marathon, Wendy Chioji, a TV anchorwoman in Florida at the time, was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer. Her oncologist, who was also her marathon training partner, told her that she would likely suffer, but if she participated in a clinical trial for her chemotherapy medications, other women and men may suffer less in the future.
“Before I even knew if I would get better, participating in a clinical trial was a way for me to pay it forward,” said the Park City, Utah, resident, who is now nearly 10 years clear of cancer, and was honored as a PPD Beach2Battleship Triathlon Hero last fall in Wilmington, N.C.
During her second round of chemotherapy she took lower doses of a medication every week for 12 weeks. The treatment protocol worked great for Chioji, who was able to receive chemotherapy in the morning and go to work in the afternoon. Her hair started growing back and she was able to resume training for triathlons.
“Knowing that I was doing this for other people totally helped my outlook on my own treatment,” she said. “You always have to be moving forward and that was my way to move forward.”
Almost a year to the day she was diagnosed with cancer, Chioji got to meet Lance Armstrong – her inspiration for surviving and fighting through the tough times during treatment – when she rode the Ride for the Roses Century in Austin. Like Lance Armstrong, she believes it is the debt of the cured to help in the fight against cancer.
That’s when Chioji became a major supporter and fundraiser for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. To date, she has raised more than $200,000 for the foundation and will continue to raise more through a virtual “Wear Yellow” party (visit Wendy’s fundraising page at HYPERLINK “http://austin2011.livestrong.org/chioji” http://austin2011.livestrong.org/chioji.)
“Surviving cancer has changed my entire life,” says Chioji. “The truth of the matter is that cancer in any stage can kill you. It could have killed me. But, back in 2001, when undergoing treatment, I witnessed the 9-11 attacks on television and it made me realize that even if cancer kills me, I would still have time to get my affairs in order. Those people, however, went to work in the morning and never had a chance to say goodbye to a loved one, make up with someone they may have been in a fight with, or get their affairs in order at all. I realized that I may not get a second chance. What was I waiting for? Cancer forced me to go after what I really wanted to do.”
So, Chioji stayed as active as possible during treatment. She felt exercise, no matter how little, was important to recovery. “Even though I couldn’t run 10 miles, I could run or walk around the block,” she says. “It helped me feel normal. Also, the chemo and drugs killed my appetite and kept me up at night. Running made me hungry and able to sleep better, which made me stronger.”
After recovering from cancer and her treatments, Chioji left her corporate television job to work in fitness full-time in Park City, Utah. It was a huge step toward a less stressful, more centered and peaceful life, said Chioji.
She also resumed participating in endurance sports, including marathons, riding across America as part of a relay ride and racing half iron and iron distance triathlons. In 2010, she participated in the half iron event of the PPD Beach2Battleship Triathlon, where she was recognized as a PPD Beach2Battleship Hero.
PPD Heroes know firsthand the value of clinical trials in helping deliver life-changing medicines, and as triathletes who have persevered and battled back from illness to wellness, they inspire others by sharing their amazing stories. (Learn more: HYPERLINK “http://www.ppdi.com/beach2battleship” www.ppdi.com/beach2battleship.)”When I found out B2B was sponsored by a company that facilitates clinical trials, I thought ‘oh my gosh – I did a clinical trial and I can talk about doing clinical trials and I know how they save lives and I have friends whose lives have been saved because they have done clinical trials.’ It was very, very cool. Being a breast cancer survivor, every time I cross the line is special, but racing for a company that is dedicated to finding better treatments and cures for cancer is really special to me,” she said.
Most recently, Chioji just signed up for her third Ironman, Ironman Wisconsin.
“I want to qualify for Kona,” she says and then without a hint of dramatization, adds, “but every race is for more than me. It’s a celebration. It’s proof of survival… racing is such an amazing way to express survival.”
