2006 Team Sarcoma / Essen

Germany l 2006 Events

The first Team Sarcoma / Essen took place on one of the hottest days of the year in the middle of the FIFA football world championship. Thirty determined cyclists met in the early afternoon in front of the famous Gruga-Center, one of the largest indoor stadiums in Germany, to receive an early briefing of the tour.

Among the participants were patients and relatives, representatives from the GIST-initiative “Das Lebenshaus”, sarcoma surgeons, oncologists (including a participant in the 8th month of her pregnancy), radiotherapists, anaesthesiologists, etc.

The tour comprised of 30km of hilly terrain that led around the beautiful Lake Baldeney. Just after the start of the tour the group encountered their first challenging situation when they passed a strawberry field and were forced to have their first picnic…

After about 90 minutes of beautiful riding, the first destination was reached – Lake Baldeney. It was the starting point for a 2 kilometer mountain stage (150 meters height) that led up to the “Hohes Kreuz” (“high cross”) of Fischlaken, Essen.

The race started with a fierce effort from oncologist Dr. Axel Schneider who was chased by Surgeon Dr. Schmitz and medical student Simeon Schietzel. Schietzel’s youth finally made the race and he outpaced his experienced colleagues (easily).

The senior’s category was won by Karl Pelzing, the women’s race went to oncologist Dr. Cathrin Walter, and the youth medal went to Leonhard Ruchholtz, son of sarcoma surgeon Prof. Steffen Ruchholtz.

Exhausted from the race, the group had a break at Lake Baldeney where representatives from Das Lebenshaus were waiting to treat everyone with fruits, drinks and a beautiful view.

After one flat tire on the way home, the group was separated, but everybody finally arrived at the “army tent” in front of the operation room of the Essen University hospital.

With the central air system for the hospital just in front of us, everybody inside the hospital was able to enjoy the smell of sausages with us…. With the help of the pathology assistant Gunter Strohbach, the riders were greeted with a convincing barbecue to get ready for the medal ceremony.

The post-tour event was then started by Sarcoma Surgeon Dr. Georg Taeger and Dr. Sebastian Bauer with an introduction of all participants. This allowed patients to meet the sarcoma specialists and vice versa. Karin Pelzing, director of the regional branch of “Das Lebenshaus” and GIST patient herself, introduced the work of the GIST-Initiative, which to this date, is the only sarcoma initiative in Germany.

All participants were already looking forward to joining the event next year and spreading the message that “Sarcoma knows no borders.”

Organizers of the event were Dr. Georg Taeger and Prof. Steffen Ruchholz (surgical oncology), Dr. Florian Grabellus and Dr. Sien Yi Sheu (pathology), Britta Taeger and Dr. Sebastian Bauer (medical oncology).

Special thanks and greetings are sent to Bruce Shriver (from the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative), Lee Ann Lamb and Marina Symcox (from GSI Support International) (to name the representatives we know) – from the USA for their leadership in founding their sarcoma initiatives, building bridges, bringing people together, raising awareness and promoting research an an orphan disease like sarcoma. Thanks also to Boehringer Ingelheim, who generously supported the event.