Soon after Lance’s 25th birthday, he began coughing up blood and was forced off the bike because he was in so much pain. On October 2, 1996, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his abdomen, lungs, lymph nodes, and his brain. His chances for recovery were far less than 50-50, but that didn’t stop Lance. He went into surgery the next day to remove one of his testicles. For the cancer that spread to his brain, Lance and the doctors opted for brain surgery to remove the cancer rather than radiation, because the radiation would throw off his balance enough to affect his racing. He also chose a non-traditional course for his chemotherapy. Instead of taking the prescribed drug, bleomycin that normally produces fewer side effects of nausea and vomiting, he chose to take ifosamide because bleomycin is capable of diminishing lung capacity, which would also affect his racing. “Taking the short-term discomfort for the long-term gain," said medical oncologist Lawrence Einhorn. During his chemotherapy, Lance first came up with the idea about creating a charitable foundation to raise caner awareness. Lance and a few of his biking buddies came up with Ride for the Roses, charity bicycle race around Austin, Texas.