Anyone who is told that they have stage three colorectal cancer would naturally be devastated. For Wu Hsing-chuan (???), a guard at the zoo and a jogging coach who firmly believes that exercise is the panacea to all diseases, the news completely changed his life.
When he was told four years ago that he had contracted cancer because of genetics, Wu was afraid to let any of his friends know, wishing to preserve his dignity and reputation as a sportsman.
Aside from being a well-known jogger, Wu had also helped train Chang Wen-yen (???), the first Taiwanese marathon runner to win the gold medal in the Asian Para Games. Wu added that he had led a group of blind men on a mountain climbing trip.
When the doctor told Wu the news, his wife was in the last stages of chemotherapy, and his children ? one in seventh grade and another in eighth grade ? badly needed his care.
Depressed, Wu often closed himself off in his room in the hospital, crying about his fate. He said he was so downcast he even thought of taking his children?s lives so they would not have to suffer.
However, his wife became the pillar of strength he needed, although she was still undergoing painful chemotherapy. Although her weight dropped from 60kg to 30kg and she was unable to take care of her own affairs, she encouraged Wu to be positive and face life head-on.
She accompanied Wu to all his chemotherapy sessions ? 12 times over nine months ? before passing away a week after Wu finished his last session.
Speaking of his wife, Wu said: ?The will can indeed overcome all obstacles.?
He promised his deceased wife that he would do his best to find his old self and raise their children alone.
?If you have tomorrow, with what face shall you greet the sunrise; if you only have today, think how to say goodbye,? were the words that came to Wu?s mind, the lyrics from the song of If there is Tomorrow by Hsueh Yueh (??), a singer who died of liver cancer.
Wu was determined to regain his strength, and although his physical condition was not what it used to be, he continued to slowly build up his stamina.
To encourage other cancer patients to live their lives fully, Wu, who was at the time the chair for the Republic of China Jogging Association, launched a poll asking cancer patients what they most wanted to do.
The response he got was most of them wanted to go on a round-the-island bicycle trip. That inspired Wu to launch the first around-the-island bicycle event for people with cancer in 2011. He also took on the responsibility of finding sponsors for the event by writing letters to President Ma Ying-jeou (???), city governments and companies.
The event was a success, with 13 people, including Wu, participating. It was also turned into a documentary film called Riding Miracle 13 (??13).
Wu said that at the time doctors and even the local health department opposed the bicycle event, thinking it might be too strenuous for the patients. However, Wu insisted that exercise was good for then because it would boost their immunity levels.
Wu said it was fortunate that each of the 13 participants returned unharmed. However, his elder brother, who had joined the trip as a volunteer, passed away because of an accident in Hualien County?s Yuli Township (??).
?My brother?s passing weighed heavily on me and I felt so sorry because I had asked him to come,? Wu said.
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