Grant Lottering: I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It

An Interview With Savio P. Clemente

Make the decision to start looking after your body and to glorify God. So many people let go of their physical condition and don’t live healthy until they get a medical scare. Do not wait until then. Your body and physical ability are a gift from God. Appreciate it, look after it and be grateful.

Cancer is a horrible and terrifying disease. Yet millions of people have beaten the odds and beat cancer. Authority Magazine started a new series called “I Survived Cancer and Here Is How I Did It”. In this interview series, we are talking to cancer survivors to share their stories, in order to offer hope and provide strength to people who are being impacted by cancer today. As a part of this interview series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Grant Lottering.

Springbok Cyclist and Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador, Grant Lottering’s remarkable comeback from death on 21 July 2013 to conquering the French Alps, Pyrenees and now South Africa continues to astonish the medical profession and audiences alike. His remarkable story of survival and overcoming has attracted much media attention, locally and world-wide, reaching over 33 million people through broadcast, print and online media. To date he has raised millions for underprivileged children through his annual Im’possibleTours. What makes his accomplishments so remarkable, is that he has undergone 12 surgeries between 2013–2018 because of his accident. In addition, he was diagnosed with cancer in December 2016 had to deal with emergency cancer surgery.

He has shared his story ’From Death to the Top of the Alps‘ with audiences in over 11 countries to date at conferences and corporate events incl UK, Singapore, Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, Mauritius, Zambia, Namibia and South Africa.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! We really appreciate the courage it takes to publicly share your story. Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?

My passion for cycling developed when I was 12-years-old growing up in Johannesburg, South Africa. By the time I turned 18, I made junior Springbok colours (national colours) twice. By 20, I was a professional cyclist and raced in Europe in 1987–1989. Today, I am an Extreme Endurance Cyclist and Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador. My comeback from being declared dead on July 21, 2013, to conquering the French Alps, Pyrenees, South Africa, and now the USA continues to astonish the medical profession and audiences alike.

Described as a remarkable tale of survival and overcoming, my story has attracted much media attention worldwide, reaching over 60 million people through broadcast, print, and online media. To date, I am very proud and privileged to have raised millions of dollars for underprivileged children in disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Since my accident in 2013, I have undergone 12 surgeries. In addition, I had to overcome emergency cancer surgery.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

It is a bible verse in Proverbs: “Acknowledge God in your plans, and He will direct your paths.” I realized that life is much more fulfilling when it’s not just about you and your accomplishments. This principle keeps me grounded and humbled knowing that ultimately, we do not control tomorrow.

Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion about surviving cancer. Do you feel comfortable sharing with us the story surrounding how you found out that you had cancer?

Absolutely.

What was the scariest part of that event? What did you think was the worst thing that could happen to you?

When my surgeon called me two days after my biopsy and said the result was not good. He said, “you have a very aggressive, invasive melanoma and it has grown dangerously deep. You must come in as soon as possible for urgent surgery. Can we make arrangements for tomorrow?” At that moment I realized that I am now fighting an invisible disease, not just fractures, and rehabilitative surgeries as I have been doing since my accident in 2013 (11 surgeries). Being mentally strong and supremely determined, in hindsight, it was much easier to overcome those surgeries as they are visible, I feel it. I can do physical therapy and rehab because I see the improvements. It is measurable. Now, I had to deal with a killer which is not visible, and it had the potential to end my cycling career right there.

How did you react in the short term?

It was a frightening prospect at first. I went for surgery the next day and woke up in hospital with an 8cm x 4 cm hole in my left hamstring. I have to admit I was concerned for the coming 12 months to see if I would be clear. I lost a lot of sleep those first few weeks!

After the dust settled, what coping mechanisms did you use? What did you do to cope physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?

Having overcome so much since surviving that near-fatal accident on July 21st, 2013, I told myself, “God has got this, and this is just another setback that you will overcome.”

God’s purpose for my life will be fulfilled, rest in Him and wait on Him.” I have dedicated my life to cycling through some of the most challenging terrains, pushing myself to new extremes, and setting new records. I have been fortunate to complete extreme endurance rides across the world in aid of charities such as Laureus Sport for Good Foundation and the Reach for a Dream Foundation in South Africa. In addition, my partnership with UHSM Health Share has contributed to strengthening my relationship with God and helped share my inspirational story and testimony of the second chance at the life God has given me to audiences. Through this partnership, I have promoted healthy means of coping emotionally and spirituality with holistic wellbeing.

Is there a particular person you are grateful towards who helped you learn to cope and heal? Can you share a story about that?

My brother Glenn, who is 3 years older than me and lives in Holland. When he heard of my accident in Trento, Italy in 2013 he immediately traveled to be with me while I spent 9 days in ICU. Since then, he has been at every one of my Im’possible Tours and has been a pillar of encouragement and support. He himself had to deal with skin cancer and was a voice of reason and wisdom on many occasions. We have a very special bond of friendship and trust and when I need an ear of encouragement, he is the one I turn to.

In my own cancer struggle, I sometimes used the idea of embodiment to help me cope. Let’s take a minute to look at cancer from an embodiment perspective. If your cancer had a message for you, what do you think it would want or say?

For me, there was a very important lesson given my situation. Since 2013, I have proven medical professionals wrong by not only getting back on a bike but cycling further and longer than ever before. My mental strength and focus played a massive part in pushing my own physical and mental boundaries. As a result of the success, I achieved, I grew in confidence and learned that very little is impossible when you are mentally strong and committed. When I suddenly had to deal with cancer, it was a humbling experience, and getting back on my knees made me realize that tomorrow is never guaranteed, that no matter how much we achieve and overcome, we need God in our lives. That is what cancer taught me.

How have you used your experience to bring goodness to the world?

God has given me a second chance at life. He made it possible for me to continue using my gift and talent to ride a bicycle.

How my accident did not leave me paralyzed remains a mystery, but it was clear very early on that God planned on using my talent and testimony to be relevant, to challenge, and to inspire people. Today, I live with intent and purpose. Whatever cycling project I plan to do with my sponsors, the core focus is always to raise money for underprivileged children. Secondly, to share my testimony and life story with businesses and at conferences that we all get second chances in life. If we live a life of gratitude, it becomes difficult to find things to complain about. I have been fortunate to share my story with corporations, conferences, and churches in over 12 countries across the world.

What are a few of the biggest misconceptions and myths out there about fighting cancer that you would like to dispel?

“I am healthy and fit, and the thought that I could have cancer doesn’t exist.”

Since I was given the all-clear at the end of 2017 — after a year and multiple rounds of blood tests — I have been going for annual preventative check-ups and blood tests. People don’t take preventative care seriously, which causes them to postpone or put off annual check-ups.

Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experiences and knowledge, what advice would you give to others who have recently been diagnosed with cancer? What are your “5 Things You Need To Beat Cancer? Please share a story or example for each.

1. You need to be mentally strong — become your own biggest fan and refuse to let the disease into your mind so to speak (I think my own story and details shared above speaks to this)
2. Now, more than ever have a vision of where you are going with your life, and clear goals to keep you focused on tomorrow, and not what you are dealing with daily. After my accident, after my diagnosis and the real threat that my cycling career could be seriously interrupted, I had to make sure my focus was not on where I was or the situation I was in, but where I saw myself tomorrow. In other words, keeping my mental focus on tomorrow, and doing whatever I can today, to get there.
3. Surround yourself with positive people who will encourage and uplift your spirits, rather than share their worries and concerns about your condition and the ‘what ifs’.
4. Make the decision to start looking after your body and to glorify God. So many people let go of their physical condition and don’t live healthy until they get a medical scare. Do not wait until then. Your body and physical ability are a gift from God. Appreciate it, look after it and be grateful.
5. GIVE GOD 1ST PLACE IN YOUR LIFE. Both mentally and physically. If you apply step 4 in your life, you are allowing God to put His super, on your natural. That is when healing, overcoming and victory comes from. I’ve experienced that first-hand every year when I attempt my extreme endurance Im’possible Tours. Considering I ride 600+ miles over 20 -30 mountains without stopping or sleeping, I never would have been able to do on my own, given my physical condition, since my accidents. Every time I start a tour, I feel God’s supernatural strength carrying me, enabling me to complete what I start. To honour Him as a result.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?

To encourage people to become more outward-focused. Every one of us has the ability to make a positive difference in others’ lives. There is always someone worse off than we are, no matter what situation we find ourselves in.

We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why?

Without a doubt, Greg LeMond! He was the very first American to win the Tour de France in 1986. After Greg was accidentally shot in the back in 1987 by his father-in-law while hunting, he was written off as a professional cyclist in Europe. Yet, in 1989 he made the biggest comeback ever seen in professional cycling by winning the Tour de France by 8 seconds and the World Championships! The following year in 1990, he won his 3rd Tour de France with over 50 shotgun pellets still in his body. He was my cycling hero in the eighties, and it’s special knowing we both overcame death and fought our way back from scratch.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

The best place is to visit my website www.grantlottering.com. Hyperlinks to all my social media handles are on my homepage as well as links to my YouTube videos of my testimony and my Im’possible Tours.

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!