FAIRFIELD, Conn. ? Workers at the Connecticut Challenge?s Center for Survivorship call Southport?s David Tisdale ?The Orchid Guy.? His support for the organization goes way beyond his commitment to help beautify the center?s interior.
Tisdale will ride in the Connecticut Challenge for the first time July 27. He will ride 25 miles; the event also had rides of duration ranging from 10 to 100 miles on that day, and an 80-mile ride July 26. Some sturdy cyclists will attempt to ride 180 miles over two days. Tisdale's fundraising page is online.
He also leads survivors on walks through Southport every week. When he started leading the walks earlier this year, he noticed that the orchids in the building were not flowering.
?People had been giving them all these orchids,?? Tisdale said ?Most of them were half-dead. I took it upon myself to clean them up. There?s this little care center I developed for the ones that aren?t flowering. It?s just something I like to do. It makes the place look nice.?
Tisdale volunteered last year at the event, which begins at the Fairfield County Hunt Club in Westport. A cancer survivor, he determined then that he wanted to ride this year.
?It?s just a nice feeling and kind of a way to give back,?? he said. ?It?s always been part of my life to get out and do stuff. I felt the support of a lot of people when I was going through my issues. There?s a part of me that wants to give back to other cancer survivors and patients. When they?re with somebody else who has been through the same thing, they are much more open.?
Part of Tisdale?s volunteer commitment to help cancer survivors is to walk with them in Southport. The walks are casual and provide survivors the opportunity to exercise while talking with other survivors, including Tisdale.
?It?s nice to get outside,?? he said. ?We walk down Pequot Avenue to Southport Beach to get the reward of smelling the salt air. So many times we don?t give ourselves an opportunity to do something for ourselves. It?s just nice to have this camaraderie.?
Tisdale is already bracing for the emotional energy that surges through riders in the Challenge who have battled cancer. He knows emotions will tug at him just like the orchids he cares for at the Center.
?It?s going to be very emotional, to say the least,?? Tisdale said. ?It?s moving to see hundreds of people who have fought cancer. It?s awesome, incredibly moving. You?re excited to be with this group that is all about being healthy, well and getting past their cancer. It?s emotional, no matter if you?re a survivor, a friend or a supporter.?
Source: http://fairfield.dailyvoice.com/neighbors/southport-cancer-survivor-takes-challenge-first-time
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