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HOLLADAY -- A charity bike ride Saturday aims to raise tens of thousand dollars for the fight against cancer.
It started with a request from a Holladay family whose son has a unique relationship with cyclist and Livestrong founder Lance Armstrong.
Connor O'Leary is just 19 years old and about to finish his last round of chemotherapy for testicular cancer. He has a strong support system of friends, family, and the seven-time Tour de France champion.
Connor is on the U-23 U.S. National Team and has ridden in races all over the world. In June he wasn't feeling well so he went to the doctor. Connor learned he had cancer the day he was supposed to leave for nationals.
"We went from thinking about bicycle racing to thinking about curing cancer," said Connor's dad, David O'Leary.
News of Connor's diagnosis spread throughout the cycling community and one day he opened his e-mail to find a message from Lance Armstrong.
It was a message of support from Armstrong himself, three days before the Tour de France.
Their correspondence continued and Armstrong set Connor up with his doctor in Indiana. Now, with just one treatment left, the O'Leary family is trying to pay that kindness forward.
The Cross Out Cancer ride Saturday hopes to raise $30,000 for the Livestrong Foundation. It's organized by the head of Utah Cyclocross Matt Ohran and also honors two others in the cycling community with cancer.
Matt Bradley, a race announcer, recently had his foot amputated below the knee as a result of a rare form of bone cancer and Cindi Yorgason, a race official who is currently battling breast cancer.
Connor likely won't be able to ride Saturday, but he hopes to be there with no more cancer treatments on the horizon.
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E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
