John Bourg, far left, took a month-long motorcycle trip from Alaska between chemotherapy treatments. He and his wife, Lydia, credit research funded through events like the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Greater Fort Bend, happening April 1, for making the trip possible. Shown with Bourg are, from left, Brian Walters, Dick Bishop, Jerry Grosman and Fred Boothe.
Sugar Land, Texas (March 9, 2017) John Bourg and four buddies had an adventure of a lifetime eight years ago — a motorcycle trip to Alaska that started in the parking lot of Bourg’s doctor’s office.
He had just finished a chemotherapy treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Bourg describes the trip — which had to be limited to one month so he could be back for his next treatment — as once in a lifetime.
“It was exciting,” said Bourg, who lives in Sugar Land and is now cancer-free. “I was diagnosed in July 2006, in and out of hospitals the first eight months. But then I moved to having additional chemo once a month, so timing worked out perfectly.”
Bourg’s wife Lydia, however, describes the trip as touch-and-go.
“It was uncertain. We had to wait until his platelet count was high enough that he wouldn’t bleed to death if a rock hit him while driving on the road,” she said.
Friend Brian Walters, who also went on the trip, said he recalls John saying he would “figure out a way to do it.”
“We planned it almost a year,” Walters said. “As we got closer, he was worried that he might not be able to make it. But he did. There was a day that he said he didn’t feel too good, so we scaled it back a little, but I only remember that one day that we slowed down because of his illness.”
Lydia also said it was a miracle that her husband managed to make it the point he could even consider such a trip.
“He was moving computer equipment and felt a tightness in his chest and had trouble breathing,” she said. “We went to the hospital, where they decided to run blood work after finding out there was nothing wrong with his heart. His primary care physician then suggested we see a hematologist oncologist and when we called to make an appointment, they said to take John straight to the hospital. Incredibly, they started treatment at 11 p.m. on a Friday night.”
And Bourg was given a 35 percent survival rate.
Lydia said John’s job was to focus on getting better, and as he did, she looked for ways to give back. What she found was the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.
“I had been touched by cancer so much. My mother died from multiple myeloma in 2006 and I was still grieving her loss when John was diagnosed months later,” said Lydia, who now serves as a local coordinator for regional races, including the Relay For Life of Greater Fort Bend, which will be noon Saturday, April 1, to midnight Sunday, April 2.
To be staged at Edward Mercer Stadium, 16403 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, the annual fundraiser invites teams and individuals to walk and jog laps to raise money and awareness regarding cancer and to honor cancer survivors and loved ones lost to cancer. Teams are encouraged to have at least one participant on the track at all times because cancer never sleeps.
“Nearly everyone has been touched by cancer, either through their own personal battle or through the battle of someone they love, and this disease has taken too much from too many. Each new team that registers brings us that much closer.” said Nick Deacon, volunteer and Relay for Life of Greater Fort Bend Event Lead.
Funds raised during the relay and various pre-events go to support cancer research; Hope Lodge, which provides Houston accommodations for cancer patients receiving treatment; Road to Recovery, which provides needed transportation to patients; Look Good… Feel Better, which teaches women battling cancer beauty techniques to help them improve their appearance and self-image during chemotherapy and radiation treatments; and Reach to Recovery, which matches trained breast cancer survivors with those who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and want to talk to someone who has been there.
“We are working toward raising money so that one day when someone is told they have cancer, it will be liked they’ve just been told they have the flu,” Lydia said.
Bourg, who has been among the survivors honored at the annual relays, is walking proof of what fundraisers like this can accomplish.
“John is here and he is here because of the research events like this fund,” Lydia said. “I’m very grateful for that.”
Those interested can learn more at www.relayforlife.org/greaterfortbendtx. Registration and donations are still being accepted.
Photo Information
Relay for Life John Bourg Alaska.jpg
John Bourg, far left, took a month-long motorcycle trip from Alaska between chemotherapy treatments. He and his wife, Lydia, credit research funded through events like the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Greater Fort Bend, happening April 1, for making the trip possible. Shown with Bourg are, from left, Brian Walters, Dick Bishop, Jerry Grosman and Fred Boothe.