Morgan Hill’s Lisa Aragon, a 13-year cancer survivor and chair of the city’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Group, was selected to fire the starting gun at the May 16 Amgen Tour of California time trial.
Aragon was chosen by Amgen to participate in the official start on behalf of the company’s “Breakaway from Cancer” initiative, which aims to increase awareness of resources available to people impacted by cancer, from prevention through survivorship.
Aragon was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, at the age of 41. Now an avid angler and occasional recreational cyclist, Aragon has become increasingly active in the community since she became cancer-free.
She said her nomination by Morgan Hill city staff to be the official starter for the Tour of California Stage 4 Time Trial—which was to start and end in the city’s downtown—was a surprise.
“It’s an honor,” Aragon said. “I found I needed to really consider accepting it because it’s a personal journey, but then again, I needed to share I am here. I did experience (cancer), and I’m doing well. That’s why I went ahead and agreed to do this.”
Aragon’s cancer diagnosis was not the first or last health struggle in her family’s life. She was diagnosed with cancer just six months after she lost both her parents—to a heart attack and colon cancer.
Six years after Aragon successfully completed treatment for diagnosis, she lost her husband John to colon cancer at the age of 48.
Throughout this time, Aragon, who has worked at Morgan Hill-based Anritsu for 25 years, became acutely aware of the importance of having a support system. Her treatment and recovery were possible because of her husband, son Joey, close-knit extended family and friends, and her supportive employer and co-workers, she said in a recent press release from Amgen.
Through this support team, Aragon learned to take care of herself and do whatever was needed to be able to obtain the best treatment and heal. Toward the end of her treatment, Aragon joined Leadership Morgan Hill, an experience that “gave me a greater connection to the community than I had before,” she said.
She later joined Rotary Club of Morgan Hill, which strengthened that connection and her support network. “They were so supportive of me during my husband’s illness,” Aragon said of the Rotarians.
“I have experience as a caregiver, and losing loved ones that way. You certainly do need a strong team,” Aragon added.
Aragon, 54, offered a list of advice for anyone facing cancer:
• Identify a few people in your life who you can lean on;
• Identify someone to be your medical advocate (perhaps a spouse, sibling or friend) who can join you at doctor’s appointments, take notes and ask questions you might be afraid to ask. “What is being said and what you hear could be two different things. You need to be reminded of all that was said. Have your advocate keep a notebook. It is extremely helpful to have an extra set of ears,” Aragon said;
• Keep your mind and heart open to special people who might enter your world just when you need them;
• Don’t be afraid of modern medicine, technology and treatments;
• Early detection is crucial so don’t neglect your health.
Aragon and her family moved to Morgan Hill in 1983. Her son was in the first graduating class of Sobrato High School. In addition to her work on the city’s BPAG, she also served on the recent General Plan Advisory Committee and volunteers planting flowers in public downtown plots.
She rides her bicycle to run errands or go to the farmers market, but she’s not a diehard cyclist. Still, she remains a advocate for recreation in Morgan Hill.
“I feel very strongly about our trails and biking and facilities, and needs,” Aragon said.
The May 16 Tour of California time trial will start at East Dunne Avenue and Monterey Road in downtown Morgan Hill. The individual time trial—in which competitors start out one at a time rather than in a group—will take cyclists and their crews southwest from the starting line, into the unincorporated rural roads west and north of Morgan Hill. The 21.6-mile loop will end at Monterey Road and Fourth Street.
As part of the tour’s Breakaway from Cancer activities, cancer survivors like Aragon will not only participate in the race start activities, but also take part in the jersey presentations at the stage finishes and other activities throughout the race.
The men’s Amgen Tour is a seven-stage race covering 645 miles of California roadways from Long Beach to Sacramento May 13-19. The women’s Amgen Tour of California was scheduled for May 17-19, covering 187 miles in three stages.
