Yellowknife (Oct 27/06) - Local cancer survivors and the curious gathered in St. Patrick's church on Wednesday night to hear German cyclist Randolph Westphal speak about his 20 year battle with cancer.

Father Joe Daley hosted the meeting that attracted a dozen people on Wednesday night.

Father Joe Daley, left, poses with Randolph Westphal and Emily Bruser from the Canadian Cancer Society. Daley and Bruser arranged for Westphal to speak with Yellowknifers about his cancer survival story. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

"It was very interesting, because I had cancer. I've had 20 radiation treatments. Since then anything to do with cancer has interested me," Daley said.

Daley wasn't the only cancer survivor to be encouraged by Westphal's words.

"I'm a cancer survivor. I think it's good and he had a very positive message," Judy Sharp said. Sharp had naso-pharyngeal cancer, which is a cancer in the nose and throat.

"Some people when they're told they have cancer they think that it's a death sentence," Sharp said.

Westphal has been biking since the 1980's. It was during a trip home to Germany that he discovered he had malignant melanoma. Given six months to live by doctors at the time, Westphal chose to return to biking after his surgeries.

Westphal has lived through 26 operations over the years. And each time after an operation he has left to cycle somewhere in the world.

Westphal has biked 149,000 km over the last 20 years, and has travelled across Europe, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. "This is my last year," he said of his cycling trips.

For Westphal cycling has helped him deal with and fight his cancer he said.

"It's easy to die, but it's harder to live," Westphal said.

"I tell people 'don't sit in the corner and wait for death, open your eyes and the world is beautiful,'" was Westphal's message.

For every cancer patient where they find the power to fight is different.

What gave Daley the strength to fight his cancer were the people around him, he said.

"I was thinking (during the talk) that I was always surrounded with so much wonderful care. It just seemed to promote living."

"You become very aware of your spirituality," Daley said of his battle with cancer.

"All through my treatment I just kept remembering the verse of the Bible; 'For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son...'"

Sharp said her faith helped her to not fear death.

"A lot of it depends on your attitude and your belief."

"When I first was told that there was no more cancer, I hugged the oncologist."

Westphal will be heading back to Behchoko (Rae-Edzo) today, before continuing on to the end of his journey. He is raising awareness of cancer around the world, but is not raising money for the cause. What little money he does receive he puts towards the payment of his insurance and food for himself and his three dogs.