Name: Frank Zechner
Age: 57
Occupation: Lawyer, environmental and construction law, self employed
Hometown: Toronto, ON
Family: Married to Charlene for 35 years as of September 2010, father to Wayne (22) and Stuart (21)
Your biggest physical accomplishments to date: A few metric century charity rides, some top 3 age group finishes in Olympic distance triathlons, black belt - shotokan karate, 2nd place 2006 Canadian indoor rowing championships
Working to Make A Difference in Kids Cancer
Throughout my athletic competitions over the last 40 years, I have rarely taken first prize honors. Whether I was the captain of the high school wrestling team, playing tennis or squash or running a marathon, I usually heard the refrain, “nice try” or “outstanding effort”.
In this challenge, I am working for outstanding effort and am not looking for any prizes. I am committed to make my best efforts so that there will be a positive difference some time, some where for children and their families facing cancer.
I recently lost my baby sister Diana to a 4 year battle with cancer. Until then our family had been shielded to any direct impact from this cruel disease. Sure we followed the likes of Terry Fox and his marathon of hope, but it had not yet hit close to home. Full of life, humor and vitality and being 9 years younger than me, it was heart breaking that Diana lost that struggle. I don’t want to imagine what it would have been like if it was one of my sons, nieces or nephews.
My wife and I were each blessed with two caring parents, a healthy childhood and opportunities to grow, to make friends and to follow our dreams. Every child should have the right to a full childhood without enduring chemo, radiation or radical surgery. I am confident that the combined efforts of this year’s team of National Riders will make a real difference for many lives in ways that we can’t begin to imagine.
Please support our efforts so that every child that you know will have the life that so many of us have taken for granted for so long
“It isn't where you come from; it's where you're going that counts.” Ella Fitzgerald
