“I didn’t ask for permission from anybody. I just did it.”
-Risa August
Risa August
How might a diagnosis of a rare disease and brain tumor change your life?
Risa August was an Ironman athlete when unexplained symptoms began appearing. Her body felt off. She was tired. The medical establishment initially offered no answers.
After years of being dismissed by doctors, she was finally diagnosed with acromegaly, a rare hormonal disorder caused by an enlarged pituitary gland. It was a chronic disorder she’d have to learn to live with.
Rather than let chronic illness define her, Risa became a fierce advocate for her health. And she decided to cycle the Pacific Coast from Mexico to Canada.
Her book The Road Unpaved: Border to Border with a Brain Tumor and a Bike is a story of setting enormous goals, working within the limitations of an unfamiliar body, and never allowing your enthusiasm for life to dim. Risa’s story will resonate with anyone who’s ever declined to accept the status quo, particularly in the face of daunting odds.
From Risa August
“I decided I was going to start living today.”
“I didn’t ask for permission from anybody. I just did it.”
“Letting go was this huge lesson for me.”
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