Diagnosed with two different types of cancer in the course of three short months, Keith Bellizzi changed the focus of his young life and embarked upon a mission to make the cancer experience more tolerable for future survivors.

Following recovery from testicular and kidney cancers, Dr. Bellizzi quit his job as a business consultant and returned to school. He currently conducts cancer research, examining the lives of cancer survivors after they complete treatment. “During my recovery I came to the realization that I didn’t have to be a celebrity or win the Tour de France to make a difference in the fight against cancer,” Dr. Bellizzi says. “Everyone has something that they can contribute regardless of who they are.”

Dr. Bellizzi wants people to view the disease as more of a chronic condition than something you die from. So he looks at ways to improve the long-term quality of life for cancer survivors.

Dr. Bellizzi is confident the work he is doing now will eventually help the 10 million U.S. cancer survivors, but riding with the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope™ Team gives him an opportunity to make a difference right now. The Tour of Hope will allow Dr. Bellizzi to reach millions of people with the educational messages about cancer research and clinical trials.

“When a person is diagnosed with cancer, he or she needs to be armed with a toolbox of knowledge. Included in that toolbox should be a hope wrench, an attitude adjuster and information so that patients have the ability to make informed treatment choices, including clinical trials,” he says. “I hope to do my part in supplying some valuable tools based on my experience as a survivor, a researcher and a caregiver.”

Dr. Bellizzi’s mother turned to her cancer survivor/cancer researcher son when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. He encouraged her and helped her put things in perspective, allowing her to make decisions about her treatment with confidence. He’ll take the same approach with those he meets on the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope™. “Cancer is not a death sentence,” he says. “There are options, and clinical trials are part of that. I really hope to empower individuals to seek out the best possible care for themselves and their loved ones.”