Steve Virgen
Ironic how something so deadly, so vicious, can turn out to be one
man's treasure. This happened to Derek Ross. His bouts with leukemia have
actually brought him a meaningful and charismatic perspective on life.
Ross, a UC Irvine alumnus who was a UCI crew member for three years,
has chosen to make his near-death experience inspiration for those who
are in search for meaning, much like he was. He's also raising money and
sharing his story so that people like him can overcome leukemia or
cancer.
Ross joined the Lance Armstrong Foundation and in April he will ride
with Armstrong and other cancer survivors in the annual Ride for the
Roses to raise money and visibility for the fight against cancer.
"It's really done a number of wonderful things for me," Ross said of
the leukemia he was diagnosed with April 19, 2000. "I really want to
share what I went through with other people. You don't need this kind of
life threatening disease to make a change in your life. Hopefully people
can look at me and realize that they don't want to go through that day
and instead change right now. That was my problem. I was never satisfied.
I was always moving. It's a bad way to live. You have to enjoy the
moment."
Ross, much like Armstrong's story, thrived in the challenge of
overcoming the disease. Before news of the diagnosis, Ross was a fitness
junkie who ran in the Los Angeles Marathon and had been training for the
Wildflower, known as one of the toughest half ironman races in the world.
Ross's desire to push his body to the limits came with the hopes of
discovering meaning for his life, perhaps to fill a hole. His mother,
Judy, died from cancer three months before his own diagnosis. In the
weeks and days leading to her death, Ross would search with more passion
to overcome depression and break out of his doldrums.
"Luckily I went through cancer before she died," Ross said, displaying
his newfound ability to find the good in any bad. "I was able to cope
with her death. My mom died from cancer and that means I have to live. I
have to fight even harder and live for her. I made a promise on her
deathbed and said, 'I'm going to beat it. Don't worry.' "
So far, so good. After drastic pains from chemotherapy, doctors put
Ross's leukemia in remission just before Judy died. But then the disease
struck back. He would have to break down and battle through chemotherapy
once again.
"I always need a challenge," said Ross, who earned a bachelor of arts
