Episode 7
[00:00:00] Vince: [00:00:00] welcome back. What episode I'll be on now? I've lost count. 
[00:00:19] Doug: [00:00:19] Uh, this 
[00:00:20] Daniel: [00:00:20] would be six, right? Number six, six. I'm looking really? Yeah, we're looking around making sure we get this right. We don't want to, we don't want to mess up our, our big debut. 
[00:00:30] Vince: [00:00:30] Well, we'd like to welcome Douglas Edward Ohman to the stage. See, thought I forgot your middle name up here.
[00:00:38] Uh, so interesting fact, first of all, welcome to the summits podcast. Thank you for making time out of your busy schedule for this. Thanks 
[00:00:46] Doug: [00:00:46] for having me, 
[00:00:47] Vince: [00:00:47] um, little known fact. We met 20 years ago last month. I think you were like five and I was 10, but that's when we that's, when we first met each other down in Austin, [00:01:00] Texas, that's a, that kind of dates us a little bit 
[00:01:03] Doug: [00:01:03] 20 years.
[00:01:04] Wow. That's amazing. Actually, that is we look down and now we live a lot closer. This is true. This is 
[00:01:12] Vince: [00:01:12] true. So, what we'd like to kind of start with here is educate our listeners and viewers on who Doug Ulman is, uh, in the early years, the young pup wow. Or younger peers, 
[00:01:30] Doug: [00:01:30] you know, that, that's a good question.
[00:01:33] Um, so I grew up on the east coast. I grew up between Baltimore and Washington, um, in a family that, you know, amazing parents and older brother. You know, just a typical middle-class sort of upbringing, uh, playing sports and going to school and, um, watching my parents sort of be real involved in the community as volunteers predominantly, whether it be the schools or the library or [00:02:00] organizations they care about.
[00:02:02] Um, but I, I sort of looked back on it, real traditional upbringing that was predominantly focused on sports, to be honest, playing soccer and basketball and whatever else was sort of in season. Did 
[00:02:13] Daniel: [00:02:13] that sports keep you out of trouble or were you still a troublemaker? 
[00:02:18] Doug: [00:02:18] That's a great one. Um, sports, uh, maybe caused some trouble in some ways.
[00:02:23] No, I, I was lucky to be surrounded by great teammates and coaches and, um, you know, and, and I always say this, but I played soccer and predominantly, but, uh, my parents learned soccer when I learned soccer. Cause they didn't really know the game. And so. There was like, no pressure, you know, sort of like, Hey, let's just learn this, this game.
[00:02:45] And, um, but yeah, some of the best, most lasting friendships to this day are teammates from growing up, which is pretty awesome. Yeah. 
[00:02:54] Vince: [00:02:54] So I know soccer as we'll get into has been a big part of your life. Um, and then we got a photo [00:03:00] here, uh, showing you practicing your early skills. And I just, I have a question though, about the photo itself, um, pop that out.
[00:03:12] There's two items of note with this photo. Number one is the, uh, the quote on there.
[00:03:24] Doug: [00:03:24] Yeah. I mean, this is a quote that I heard hundreds of times over the years, uh, from my high school soccer coach, uh, bill Stelara. And when you're in high school, you hear it. It goes one in, in one ear out the other. And you don't really appreciate it. Um, but the, the premise of the quote is that in soccer, there's no time outs, right?
[00:03:46] So you're constantly moving the balls constantly moving, and you have to find time to walk to get your rest so that you're ready when the ball's there or you're running sprinting, whatever. And so it makes [00:04:00] total sense, but you know, again, you don't appreciate. At, at the time when you were 15, 16, 17 years old, but later in life, I've come to really appreciate sort of the more significant meaning behind it.
[00:04:11] Yeah. 
[00:04:12] Vince: [00:04:12] Yeah. And I see you're rocking the same haircut as you did back then. 
[00:04:16] Doug: [00:04:16] It comes and 
[00:04:16] Vince: [00:04:16] goes. Not that I should make any comments about hairstyle. Once you pick a winner, 
[00:04:19] Daniel: [00:04:19] you just stick 
[00:04:20] Vince: [00:04:20] with it. 
[00:04:23] Doug: [00:04:23] There've been some in-between stages, but you know, you, you sort of revert back, uh, as you get older, 
[00:04:29] Vince: [00:04:29] like the Euro soccer.
[00:04:32] So I, I had, uh, 
[00:04:35] Doug: [00:04:35] I was going to say years after that picture was taken, I didn't have a mullet, but I did have sort of a mop. I mean, I had long curly fro and, uh, you just got a little, got a little out of control for a while, but, uh, that's why I had to revert back. I 
[00:04:52] Vince: [00:04:52] want to see one of those photos. 
[00:04:54] Doug: [00:04:54] I can, I can dig one.
[00:04:55] I can try it. 
[00:04:56] Vince: [00:04:56] Nice. Yeah. All right. So [00:05:00] high school soccer player there. Um, and then on, up into what led to the, the next step for you, if you want to expand a little bit on your, uh, your collegiate career. 
[00:05:11] Doug: [00:05:11] Yeah. So, you know, when I was a senior in high school, I'll never forget this. My parents, we were talking about like where I should go to school.
[00:05:19] And, and obviously I wanted to play soccer and, you know, there were some good options. There are lots of options, but, but you know, I, it was hard to figure out what to do and I'll never forget my parents saying, you know, you should go to the place where if you never play soccer again, you're gonna be. And at the time again at 17, I was like, I don't really understand what they mean.
[00:05:41] Um, and so I basically ended up going to the best academic school I could go to. Um, and soccer helped get me there, which, you know, it was fortunate. Uh, and lo and behold, you know, a year later, right before my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with cancer and I looked back on that conversation and said of [00:06:00] all the places I could have been.
[00:06:02] I probably was in the best possible place, uh, you know, sort of from the university standpoint and surrounded by again, great friends and teammates and coaches. And, um, but, but at 17, I didn't really understand what my parents met. And so I, I sort of owe them a ton of gratitude for, for helping. Channel my decision in that way.
[00:06:23] Yeah. So that's 
[00:06:24] Vince: [00:06:24] a great segue with may being melanoma and skin cancer awareness month. And then I believe June is sarcoma and bone cancer awareness month and kind of a natural tie in, uh, so I guess the question is Dugald and what is your cancer story? 
[00:06:39] Doug: [00:06:39] Yeah, I mean, that's a good reminder. I can celebrate during multiple months, I guess.
[00:06:44] Lucky me, um, you know, I was, I was diagnosed in August of 1996. With a very rare type of sarcoma called chondrosarcoma. And it was really a fluke. I mean, I, I didn't have any symptoms, [00:07:00] uh, was really fit and healthy and getting ready to go back, uh, to play my sophomore season, uh, soccer in college and ended up in the emergency room.
[00:07:11] Through a series of events that again were unrelated. Um, and lo and behold in the emergency room, they said, let's do a chest. X-ray just to be sure. You're okay. And it was sort of an asthmatic. The event that led me to the emergency room and they did the chest x-ray and actually at the time said it looked fine.
[00:07:30] And the next day another doctor looked at it and said, no, you've got to have a CT scan immediately. And he thought there was something wrong with my heart. And it turned out that there was a tumor growing behind my heart, in my rib cage. And, uh, so on the one hand I was really fortunate. To find it at that point.
[00:07:49] On the other hand, there was just a huge psychological disconnect because I was so fit and yet they were telling me, oh, you're you have cancer. And so it just didn't make sense. And at [00:08:00] 19, a lot of stuff like this doesn't make sense. Um, but I remember just being confused and frustrated and sort of trying to figure it all out.
[00:08:09] Daniel: [00:08:09] Yeah. Yeah. Our, our episode one guest had a similar situation, played football and had went to the Oxford office for a totally unrelated type symptom that led to him finding out that he had cancer at that time. So it's amazing how some of these things can go unchecked and then just hit. 
[00:08:28] Doug: [00:08:28] Yeah. And, and, you know, it was so surprising to the doctors that they actually told me in August.
[00:08:35] They said, look, we know how important soccer is, why don't you go back and play this season and then come back in December, winter break and we'll have the removed. And you know, when you first year that you're like, oh, that sounds like a great, great thing. And then I thought to myself, how could I possibly like, know that there's this tumor inside me and like, Go about my normal day and pretend that, that it wasn't there.
[00:08:57] So I decided to, to, to not do [00:09:00] that, but, uh, but I remember they were like, oh, don't worry about it. And I thought you would regret that for the rest of your life. If for some reason it, it grew or spread or, you know, something happened during that interim period. Um, but so again, I, I do feel very fortunate that it was caught early.
[00:09:16] Um, you know, but at the time I didn't feel so fortunate. 
[00:09:22] Vince: [00:09:22] Enrolled in school and do all your treatments and any, any surgery there on site versus coming back to the Baltimore 
[00:09:29] Doug: [00:09:29] area. Actually, I was diagnosed in Baltimore and did all of it there. Um, but then I ended up going back to school. I was really lucky.
[00:09:38] Uh, Southwest airlines had just started flying between Baltimore and Providence, Rhode Island. And my freshman year, I would take the train, which was like an eight hour train ride. It was fine. It was, it was great. But exactly, I actually, it's funny you say I used to take the overnight train. I used to sleep the whole time or [00:10:00] trying to sleep the whole time.
[00:10:01] Yeah. But when Southwest started flying is 40 minute flight and it was like $49. And so I could get back and forth a lot easier, um, which was, which was really nice. And, um, so I was able to stay in school and that was another thing that my parents really pushed. They were like, look, you can stay home this fall, but all your friends are going to be going back.
[00:10:23] There won't be anybody around here and you're going to be really lonely. And they said, go back to school. And who cares what your grades are, who cares? Like at least you'll be around your teammates and your friends and they were right. I mean, it was a great, it was a great decision at the time. 
[00:10:40] Vince: [00:10:40] Perfect. I would, I would agree.
[00:10:41] I mean, so did the grade suffer, did you keep those up? 
[00:10:45] Doug: [00:10:45] I have no idea. To be honest. I don't remember. I know, I know. Very hard to be around for a while. Like my roommate, who's still one of my closest friends to this day. I don't know how he did it. I mean, I was like, I went on this [00:11:00] like health kick. Like I wouldn't eat anything that was unhealthy.
[00:11:03] I didn't want to go anywhere where people were like smoking. Like I was like, I was just like, went into this, like hunker down. I was like listening to meditation tapes before meditation was cool and mainstream and yeah. And I don't know how he put it up with me, uh, that, that year, but, uh, I don't remember studying a whole lot, uh, to be honest, but, uh, it turned out okay.
[00:11:24] I, I, I did have, uh, a nightmare once that I didn't graduate. I have found my diploma. So I D I know that it just 
[00:11:30] Vince: [00:11:30] happened. Yeah. I think, I think 
[00:11:31] Daniel: [00:11:31] you're good. I still have those nightmares, so, well, 
[00:11:34] Vince: [00:11:34] yeah. Yeah. I I'm sure it was kind of an odd, I will say awkward is probably the best way to describe it. You know, your friends around you, how, how they should act and feel around you and then vice versa.
[00:11:46] You're going through, you know, what you're dealing with and how you react to that. We all know that everyone tends to react a little bit differently based on their diagnosis and their situation. Um, so I can imagine that was awkward is [00:12:00] really the only word I can. I can describe it with. 
[00:12:03] Doug: [00:12:03] Yeah. I mean, everybody means well, and everybody's like wanting to help in any possible way, but people don't know what to do and don't know what to say.
[00:12:12] And, um, you know, again, it's, it's so foreign for people in college to think about. Um, and you know, I still have friends to this day who. Like their image of me is the guy who had cancer right there, the kid who cancer in college. And again, I don't fault people for, for that at all. Um, but I think people are just ill-equipped to handle it at that age.
[00:12:39] Um, and so some people drift closer, some people drift further and you sort of go through the journey, uh, and, and sort of friendships and relationships of all. I think you're right. 
[00:12:52] Vince: [00:12:52] So what, how long did that process take? And then when were you deemed clear? 
[00:12:57] Doug: [00:12:57] So I was deemed [00:13:00] clear the sarcoma pretty early.
[00:13:02] I mean, maybe F 16 after, um, the diagnosis. Uh, they, they were so rare and, and slow growing that they felt like if it ever was to sort of come back, we would, we would catch it again. And so it was pretty clear, like after a few months that then surgeries and stuff, that there would be scans and follow up.
[00:13:23] Um, but then I was diagnosed with Melanie. Uh, so in March of 1997, and then again in June of 97, so all within a year, really within 10 months. Um, and again, I was lucky because the melanoma. Most likely would never have been caught if I hadn't had sarcoma, if I hadn't been going to the doc, I mean, they were doing, I had a colonoscopy.
[00:13:44] I had like everything done in the world, um, at that time. And so again, fortunate that they were being so thorough, um, with everything at, at, at the time at Johns Hopkins. And so, you know, [00:14:00] very, very lucky 
[00:14:01] Vince: [00:14:01] any setbacks to the soccer career. At brown, um, with the melanoma diagnosis at all? 
[00:14:10] Doug: [00:14:10] Well, yeah, I mean, I actually, March of 97 I was walking to soccer or I was getting ready to go to soccer practice.
[00:14:17] It was in my dorm room, um, spring practice when the doctor called and I'll never forget that it was sort of a weird call out of the blue. Um, and there were, there was a lot of setbacks. I mean, the, the biggest setbacks were really psychologically. Because over time, it just, soccer just wasn't as important anymore.
[00:14:39] And the comradery and the, the team aspect was, but it was just hard to concentrate. It was hard to like put the same level of intensity, um, into it that I had, uh, up to that point. Yeah. 
[00:14:54] Vince: [00:14:54] So how, how much more school did you have left or how many more years of school did you have left at that time? 
[00:15:00] [00:15:00] Doug: [00:15:00] Yeah. So, so when I was diagnosed with melanoma in the spring of 97, I was finishing my sophomore year.
[00:15:05] So I had two more years. Um, and I still played and stayed on the team, but it, but it wasn't, it just didn't, it wasn't the same, you know, it didn't carry the same weight and intensity and, um, but I still loved it and enjoyed the experience. So you're 
[00:15:20] Vince: [00:15:20] class of 99. 99. Okay. Uh, so 99 comes it's may it's graduation then what?
[00:15:32] Doug: [00:15:32] Yeah. So, so during my, my time at brown, I actually had started a nonprofit, uh, focused on young adults with cancer. And I had no idea what I was doing. I started in my dorm room, um, was totally naive other than. I knew there were other people out there that had been through a certain similar experience.
[00:15:51] And I couldn't find those people. I couldn't connect with them. This was like the early days of the internet. So it wasn't easy as it is today. Um, but [00:16:00] every time I would share my story, somebody else would say, oh, my sister was diagnosed in high school or my cousin or my, so I knew there was this community of people.
[00:16:09] And so I decided to start this organization and again had no idea what I was doing. Um, but I had applied for a grant from an organization in New York called echoing green and they fund social entrepreneurs. And so when I graduated, they actually provided me a grant that paid my salary paid $30,000 a year to keep building the organization.
[00:16:32] So their whole goal was. Give people the salary so that they can go out and like have the runway to sort of go create something. And so, uh, that's what happened. And so I was lucky. I actually moved back home, uh, and, and was running the organization. Um, I had been doing it as a volunteer and then had this sort of stipend support for, for the year after graduation.
[00:16:54] Sure. So I, I 
[00:16:56] Vince: [00:16:56] know the answer already, too. Yeah, but what [00:17:00] was it, what was the real driver? What, what really pushed you to say? You know what, um, I want to do something about my situation beyond just surviving, obviously priority number one, but what, what pushed you to, to start something to, to make a cause.
[00:17:16] Doug: [00:17:16] You know, I, part of it was, I just had grown up in this family that was very involved in the community and had sort of instilled this idea that if you saw a gap or a void or something that didn't exist, that you should go after it, you know, and, and fill it, um, if you had the capacity to do so. So I think some of it came from that and then some of it just came from like, Probably just wanting to put my attention on something positive and just refocus and stop worrying about my own situation or dwelling on it.
[00:17:47] And there was such a sort of cathartic, um, aspect that I didn't expect, but that came from sort of networking with other survivors and, and, um, sort of focusing on [00:18:00] their journeys and try to help other people. Yeah. And it's another 
[00:18:03] Vince: [00:18:03] way to channel that competitiveness, right? Yeah. 
[00:18:05] Doug: [00:18:05] Yeah, for sure. I mean, it was fun.
[00:18:07] I didn't know what I was doing, so I was learning a lot. Um, yeah, I mean, I, I like to create things, so I didn't realize that maybe at the time, but it was, it was fun to create something. Yeah. 
[00:18:18] Vince: [00:18:18] I concur a hundred percent. All right. So let's go forward from there the next couple years. We're uh, we're in. 
[00:18:27] Doug: [00:18:27] Yeah.
[00:18:27] So I I'm I'm I had the chance to move to Austin, Texas in 2001 early 2001, um, to work at an organization that was then called the Lance Armstrong foundation. And Lance and I had connected several years earlier by email and developed sort of an email, you know, uh, correspondence every few weeks over actually two years, three years.
[00:18:52] And then he asked if I would come down and. The organization that he had founded, um, at the time had three or four [00:19:00] employees and was raising a bunch of money, but didn't know what to do with the money. Wasn't sure how to program sort of to help as many people as possible. So for me, I was young and, you know, excited.
[00:19:12] It was an awesome opportunity where I didn't have to focus on fundraising. I could focus on trying to figure out what to do with the money, um, to help people, which at the time was, was awesome. So, um, so I moved to Austin and, and ended up staying there 14 years and, and then. Uh, you know, living through the tremendous highs and tremendous lows of, of that journey.
[00:19:34] And I wouldn't trade it for the world. I learned a lot. Um, and as you might imagine, there were, there were some great days and there are some, uh, some, some challenging days to be sure, but th th at the end of the day, and you referenced this earlier, the best part about it was meeting incredible people. Um, from all over the world who had a shared yeah, I mean, I guess, I guess Indianapolis is part of the world, so yeah,
[00:20:03] [00:20:00] just kidding. But, um, but truly people that, you know, were bonded by a common passion or experience and who wanted to do something great. And I think that's, that was inspiring. And to this day, I mean, so many friendships that have lasted 10, 20 years, um, you know, were formed, which is pretty, pretty spectacular.
[00:20:25] Yeah, no, I 
[00:20:25] Vince: [00:20:25] would agree. Um, I, I, there's a lot of things I don't remember. I mean, Recent as last week, um, as you can attest to, but I vivid, I do remember meeting you and another person down there that first, the first time we went down to the ride for the roses back in, uh, in April of, um, I guess it was, oh one as crazy as that sounds.
[00:20:47] Um, that was a cool experience. Very cool. Um, all right. So you mentioned the, I, I have to throw this out to hear you were still at live strong at the time. Uh, but [00:21:00] you, uh, graced us with your presence at the, an evening with heroes, the heroes foundations gala in, in 2015. And, you know, you brought or came along with her and hooked us up with your good buddy Stu Scott, which is probably one of my, one of my all time.
[00:21:15] Favorite gala photos here and we'll pull up. Um, we had a recent, relatively recent posts, um, on, uh, Stew's anniversary of his passing here. Um, that was, that was a good night. I, uh, again, I appreciate you, uh, making that connection, but then also, you know, for coming up to the, to the event itself and, and sharing some words of wisdom with the, with the folks there, 
[00:21:39] Doug: [00:21:39] that was awesome.
[00:21:40] I'll never forget it. I mean, we've got some great photos, the one that you have there on the screen and, um, Yeah. I, I, I reminisce about that a lot. Actually. It was thanks for having me. It was phenomenal other 
[00:21:52] Vince: [00:21:52] in the background here. So I could have used some powder on my forehead and nose at the time for that photo too.
[00:21:56] But, 
[00:21:57] Doug: [00:21:57] but you were the star of that night and you know, you were, you were [00:22:00] shining, you were shining. 
[00:22:02] Vince: [00:22:02] Oh yeah. Oh, that's a good recovery for that one. We'll have to 
[00:22:07] Daniel: [00:22:07] track that. So there's not so nice as nice about phrasing it that way. Sure. 
[00:22:12] Vince: [00:22:12] So you're shiny. 
[00:22:14] Doug: [00:22:14] Yes. Right. 
[00:22:17] Vince: [00:22:17] So that was, that was in 2015. And then, and then not too long after that, uh, you made your way to the middle.
[00:22:25] Doug: [00:22:25] Yeah. So we're, we we're, we relocated Ohio, which frankly was not part of our plan, but the opportunity to come to a community that had started something in, in Pelotonia that was just phenomenal and had six achieved such success in a very short period of time. And I would always been intrigued. I had actually come to Columbus for the.
[00:22:47] Pelotonia event. And so I had seen it firsthand and I was sort of wondering like, how is this happening? How are they raising millions of dollars? How did they build this so quickly? And so I was curious about it and when the opportunity came to [00:23:00] learn more about it and learn about Columbus in general and the philanthropic environment and the generosity of the community, it was, um, it was an opportunity I couldn't couldn't pass up.
[00:23:11] Vince: [00:23:11] Yeah. I remember hearing about the move and I was like, holy crap. He left lifts. Oh, wait, he's only three hours away now, but it wasn't long. It wasn't too long. After that, though, that I started seeing these, the Ohio state university references. I'm like, okay, this is, this is going south quick. Yeah.
[00:23:34] Doug: [00:23:34] Uh, well, you know, it's, uh, it's, it's been, it's been amazing. I mean, the Midwest I've never had any experience, really living in the Midwest and. People are so kind like the collaborative spirit and the welcoming nature. It's been awesome. It's been great place to raise our kids. Uh, we obviously miss friends in Austin and, and family, but it's been a great, great, uh, opportunity, not just [00:24:00] within Pelotonia, which has been phenomenal, but also just beyond getting to meet some amazing people.
[00:24:04] Yeah. Yeah. 
[00:24:05] Vince: [00:24:05] Well, we appreciate the kind Midwest orders. Yeah. We seem to think so too. We call it Hoosier hospitality. Um, but you know, you're not that far 
[00:24:12] Doug: [00:24:12] away. That's I like that. I like that. 
[00:24:16] Vince: [00:24:16] So I guess I have, I have a question for you then when the, the college cup last week, did you happen to, uh, to watch any of that and, uh, and any, any, any backing of the Indiana Hoosiers?
[00:24:29] Doug: [00:24:29] So I did not watch a live. I saw some of the highlights. I saw some of the highlights. My, um, so my college coach from brown actually coaches at Clemson, Clemson has been since he's been there. I don't know. I mean, they'd been like in the top five every year since he's been there, but they have yet to win the national championship.
[00:24:53] And so they lost that. I can't remember what round, but they lost again this year where they were upset. And so, um, so I was following [00:25:00] that and then I ended up following a little bit of the college cup and, um, you know, the Cinderella story. Right. I mean the, the championship, right? Correct. Yeah. I mean, you guys have had your wins, right?
[00:25:10] I mean, you know, I think you're just 
[00:25:12] Vince: [00:25:12] right. And from what I understand, and don't quote me on this, I believe I saw where we're returning either eight or nine of the 11 starters or something like that. So yeah. 
[00:25:21] Doug: [00:25:21] It's not going to lose that. There's a lot of things I worry about at night. I'm not worried about them being good.
[00:25:29] I hear ya. The reason that there reason not right. Actually it was so high on my radar was that, um, there's a journalist, a TV journalist here in Columbus. I can't, I think he's a sports journalist who, um, is an alum of, uh, Wait who won Marshall? No. Yeah. Yes. Marshall Marsal. Yeah. He's got a love of martial arts.
[00:25:52] So he was posting incessantly, like leading up to the game. And after the game and his wife was telling him he couldn't buy more gear and he was buying more. [00:26:00] So he was like commentating the whole weekend or activities. Um, the cop 
[00:26:06] Vince: [00:26:06] say, you said you did not watch. I did not. Okay. I did. I'm not, you know, I don't, I don't know soccer well enough to know all the strategy and whatnot, but I will say Marshall came out and played very aggressively.
[00:26:20] Um, and I think that was certainly part of their plan and it, it, it clearly worked, I think. And I think, again, I, I could be misspeaking here, but I think one of Indiana's Achilles heels was there was their defense phenomenal goalie, but it looked like they struggle a little bit on the defensive side and it, and it just showed a little bit negative.
[00:26:38] You know, it is what it is. Came down to a one goal. And towards the last latter five minutes, I think, or no. Did we go to overtime? 
[00:26:46] Daniel: [00:26:46] Uh, yeah, we haven't. 
[00:26:48] Vince: [00:26:48] Yep. As long as it didn't end on PKS, I that's the one thing I can't stand the games and end on PKS. And as a soccer player, you'd probably hate that too.
[00:26:55] Cause 
[00:26:55] Doug: [00:26:55] it just, my, my daughter's game ended yesterday on penalty kicks. Uh, so [00:27:00] it was, it was really just an internal, like scrimmage of sorts, but, um, it's heartbreaking. I mean, you see these 7, 8, 9 year old kids, like, I mean it's pretty nerve wracking. Yeah. Yeah. 
[00:27:11] Vince: [00:27:11] Well, um, how's the fan. 
[00:27:14] Doug: [00:27:14] Everybody's good. Thank you.
[00:27:15] Thanks for asking 
[00:27:16] Vince: [00:27:16] lotions on 10, 10 
[00:27:18] years. 
[00:27:18] Doug: [00:27:18] Yeah. Yeah. I mean, everything's good. You know, my, uh, look, the pandemic has been to watch it through the eyes of our kids has been sort of wild. I mean, kids are so resilient and, but yet that you think about like percentage wise, like my son who turns eight next month and our daughter, you know, It's been almost a quarter of his life.
[00:27:44] Yeah. Yeah. Like weird when I think about like how the percentage of time and, but, but the, the, the silver lining, and again, I'm an optimist. I try to find silver linings. The main silver lining for our family is like, It's been a year and a half of [00:28:00] having dinner every night together and, you know, taking the kids in every night.
[00:28:03] And as you know, with the work that we do, you're out a lot. There's a lot of events. There's a lot of fundraisers, there's a lot of things. And I love that. I mean, I love being out and meeting people and being in the community, but for the last year, you know, I've been home and, and I never thought it. You sort of say this, but it's, it's been incredible time with, with the family.
[00:28:23] Yeah, no, I, I 
[00:28:24] Vince: [00:28:24] would agree. Uh, and after 10 years, did Amy getting sort of like metal or anything special or just, no, you just get to spend more time with me over the next nine months? Yeah. 
[00:28:33] Doug: [00:28:33] I mean, I, I, I. She might take some trips on her own now. No, I'm just kidding. Um, no, it's, it's been awesome. I mean, you know, I, I'm very lucky to have an incredible, uh, spouse and partner who is supportive and kids who are, um, awesome.
[00:28:50] I mean, one day, my bright before the pandemic, I was leaving town. I was driving to the airport and I was leaving the house in the morning and my daughter was having breakfast and she said to me, she said, dad, I [00:29:00] wish you didn't have to travel for work. And I sort of was like feeling really sad and then she paused and then she said, but the work you do is so important.
[00:29:08] I want you to go and keep doing it. And it was like, it was like, it made me feel great. I mean, if, if our kids grew up focused on where they can put their energy to help more people, that would be the best, the best win of all. Yeah. That would be awesome. 
[00:29:21] Vince: [00:29:21] My chance to have that on video. 
[00:29:24] Doug: [00:29:24] I do not. I wish I had, I wish I did.
[00:29:28] Yeah. But I never forget that going to the airport, flying to Phoenix for a speech. And I was like, thinking about it the whole time. So it's been, it's been, it's been, um, you know, just interesting to watch the kids and see how they've dealt with, with everything but complaints. Right. 
[00:29:44] Vince: [00:29:44] Uh, I, I hear you. Um, what would you say.
[00:29:48] We've I've asked this to a lot of different people, um, who have had the experience that we've had. What would you say to a, a young individual who has received the same [00:30:00] diagnosis? Um, either one that you have had, what would you, what would you tell them today? What kind of resources would you offer to.
[00:30:10] Doug: [00:30:10] That's a good question. I mean, I think a couple of thoughts, one, I always tell people to try to find things that they are in control of and, and continue to do those things. There's so much, you're not in control of when somebody tells you you've got cancer and you have to rely on doctors and nurses and all sorts of professionals.
[00:30:31] Um, but there are things whether it's exercise or diet or, you know, connecting with friends, like there are things that are in your control that can. Hopefully give you some sense of normalcy and keep some sense of normalcy. So that's one thing the other is, um, let people help. I think it's, uh, it's not human nature for, for people, for any of us to ask for help and all the time, you know, I find myself even saying this like, oh, let me know how I can help.
[00:30:57] Well, people typically don't call you back and [00:31:00] say, Hey, remember when you offered that. And so when people just show up at your door with food or they, or they show up and say, let's go for a walk or exercise or whatever it might be. Like let them help. Because you probably need it and you probably wouldn't ask for it.
[00:31:13] Um, and it's okay to be vulnerable and to sort of accept other people's help and support, even though it might feel unnatural. Um, and then obviously from a medical standpoint, Advise a second opinion. And, and even if you've got the best doctors in the world, just get it confirmed because the peace of mind you will have when you start your treatment, knowing that this is the right path, you'll never second.
[00:31:37] Guess it. You'll never look back and say, I wish I should have done this or that. So the best, second opinions in my mind confirm the first opinion. You're not looking for somebody to tell you something different. You're looking for them to say, oh, keep going. You know, I think having confidence is important and, and especially as you go down the treatment.
[00:31:55] Sure. So we 
[00:31:56] Vince: [00:31:56] talk a lot about attitude and I know we've, we've talked about this before and there's [00:32:00] been countless quotes and stories written on it. Um, it's easy. It's an easy thing for us to say. Right. But what, what would you say to them about, about keeping a positive attitude or just attitude in general?
[00:32:15] Doug: [00:32:15] Yeah, I mean, I think it's really important. I mean, You know, I used to tell people all the time that, you know, statistics mean nothing to the individual. So somebody tells you, you have a 25% chance of survival. Somebody will look at that and go, well, that's terrible. And another person will look at that and go, oh, I'm going to be in the 25.
[00:32:33] You know? And, and, and it doesn't mean anything to the individual because it doesn't know who you are. It doesn't know if you're fit or what your attitude is or your support system or anything. And so if you can control your attitude and keep it positive, Like, that's just another check in your column, you know, like it's not going to hurt you at all.
[00:32:52] And, you know, I think that goes for life in general, way beyond cancer. You know, it's like I was saying to somebody yesterday, I started joke with them. [00:33:00] I'd rather be an optimist and be wrong than a pessimist and be right. I mean, around, you know, all the time, like being negative would be miserable and especially when you're facing a cancer diagnosis.
[00:33:11] So, um, I think there's a lot to be said for that. Whether it actually impacts your physical wellbeing. I think it probably does, but psychologically, you know, I don't see the downside. It doesn't mean you can't have days when you're upset and days when you're down and, you know, sort of emotional or feeling negative, but on the whole.
[00:33:33] Being optimistic about the path for the treatment plan, that the medical team, your support system, um, putting all that in place and feeling confident and positive is, is really critical in my mind. Yep. Nope. A hundred 
[00:33:45] Vince: [00:33:45] percent agree with that one. All right. Well, parting words of wisdom for the audience of the summits podcast.
[00:33:55] Doug: [00:33:55] Well first, thanks for the opportunity and thanks for what you do, [00:34:00] um, through the heroes foundation and beyond, you know, my parting words are just that, you know, we, we've all learned through the pandemic, how. Hard it is to be isolated and how hard it is to be away from people and how we need desperately to be in community.
[00:34:16] And whether that's neighborhood work, community educational, community, sports, community, whatever organizational, um, community. And I would just encourage people to, to, to get involved and do something to impact the world around them. If we all do one or two things that are significant, the world will be a much better place.
[00:34:37] And, uh, and hopefully we can bring people together in powerful ways to do things that no one can do on their own. And that's, that's really the goal of Pelotonia. None of us can cure cancer. But if we get thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds, thousands of people together, we can have a much bigger impact than any of us could have on our own.
[00:34:55] Vince: [00:34:55] Yep. Well said, I agree. Um, well we thank you for taking [00:35:00] the time out of your busy schedule to join us today. I'm sorry. It's via remote, but it's such as life these days. Um, and, and on that note, Just to just know that first tee is wide open and there's a shrimp cocktail waiting. If you just get your ass over here, 
[00:35:16] Doug: [00:35:16] can't wait.
[00:35:16] I listen. I will be there. And the reason I couldn't come today is because I've got to go to the driving range after this and practice. So I just figured just kidding. I'm just listening to it. Phil can do it at 50 then. It's possible. I could possibly, and there's a chance
[00:35:35] I will be there for sure. Awesome. 
[00:35:38] Vince: [00:35:38] All right, Douglas. Thank you, sir. Appreciate it so much.