Cancer can’t stop this athlete
Fresh off chemo, Cambridge long-distance runner plans to compete Saturday in provincial qualifiers
Chris Litwiller’s story includes a cancer diagnosis and a dream that won’t be put on hold.
The 33-year-old long-distance runner yearns to compete at the Special Olympics World Games. His preferred events are the 1,500-, 3,000- and 5,000-metre races. He’s also been training to run half and full marathons some day.
But this year, on Friday, May 13, there was a “hiccup” in those plans. Litwiller jokes he “should have checked (his) horoscope that day” for a warning.
Doctors diagnosed him with colorectal cancer and quickly sent him for chemotherapy and radiation treatments. His parents, Bonnie and Don Litwiller, jimmied their schedules to take him for daily radiation rounds at Grand River Hospital.
The Cambridge family made the trips to the hospital every Monday to Friday (except on Canada Day) for 28 days.
Thursday marked the last trip before a well-deserved treatment break.
On Saturday, Litwiller plans to compete at a qualifying meet for the Special Olympics provincials in Brampton.
Because the cancer battle has left him fatigued, he won’t be able to run his favourite long distances — but he still wanted to participate.
So, Litwiller will be taking part in the shot put, javelin and standing long jump events.
“I’m not much of a quitter, so I didn’t want to throw in the towel and then not do anything.
“The doctors are all surprised with how well I’m doing, and I think having some exercise in the day is helping a lot.”
Nearly every morning about 5 a.m., Litwiller gets up with his mom and their border collie, Molly, to go for a run or walk in a nearby park. He tries to work up the energy to move for a few kilometres each day, but admits some days he’s too tired.
After 28 days of treatment, Litwiller is getting a break — and a treat. His appetite wavers, but an ad on TV recently made his mouth water.
“It’s kind of like a Blizzard and they put the strawberry filling in the middle of it. I just saw the commercial on TV and I thought, ohhh!” Litwiller said.
His family planned to head to Dairy Queen after his last round of radiation Thursday.
In August, Litwiller will go for surgery to remove a cancerous tumour. He said the ice cream will mark sort of a last hurrah.
“The surgeon wants me to lose about 15 to 20 pounds before the surgery, so that it’ll be easier to get at the tumour,” Litwiller said, adding he’ll take it easy on the junk food after Saturday.
Despite the health scare, Litwiller continues to talk about how he will make it to the Worlds one day and how he can’t wait to run long distances again, his mom said.
“I’m so proud of him, that he hasn’t just said: ‘Forget it. I’m not even going to bother,’” Bonnie Litwiller said. “We’re just so proud of him that he hasn’t given up and he’s just going to go out there and do his best.”
If Saturday’s meet is anything like his last one in June, then Litwiller is poised for success.
At the Oakville meet, he ran the 800-metre race and participated in shot put, javelin and long jump. He placed first in his age bracket every time and, during the 800metre dash, fans from the stands circled the track, cheering him on. Litwiller chuckled remembering how he tried to keep his focus.
“I’m kind of taking things one step at a time. The 28 days of chemo and radiation, I’m kind of dealing with that first and then moving onto the next phase,” he said. “I find that if you try to keep busy, it’ll help try to keep your mind off everything. It’s easier saying that than doing that, though, honestly.”
Litwiller’s coach of 10 years, Julie Wetzler, said she’s constantly impressed by his drive.
“He is inspirational, not only in the sport world, but in life: To have his attitude of ‘This is just a hiccup in the road and I’ll beat it and I’ll be back running,’” Wetzler said.
“He’s wanted it for a long time and he has set his goal (on Worlds). Each year, he gets a little closer, and eventually I really hope he makes it.”