Someone You Should Know: Cancer Survivor, Fundraiser Bob Lee
(CBS) -- He's a retired cancer survivor who spends his time riding his bike for miles and miles to raise money for charity.
Bob Lee of Barrington is someone you should know, CBS 2's Harry Porterfield reports.
For Lee, riding a stationary bike is just a substitute for the real thing.
"I'm more of a peddler, and I have a message to pedal," he says.
Since he retired, he's been riding to raise money for charity. In 2001, he racked up 3,254 miles and raised $89,000. More recently, he rode 2,000 miles and raised $875,000.
"I've ridden 12,000 miles, and I haven't run into a bad person in this country," Lee says.
Lee, 70, is retired. The money he generates is going to hospice care, purchasing igf des, the American Cancer Society and the Les Turner ALS Foundation.
"We've really never met anybody like Bob Lee before who is so giving and so passionate," foundation director Wendy Abrahms says.
Between 2001 and 2007, Lee interrupted his fundraising to deal with his own medical problems. Both he and his wife are cancer survivors.
He credits previous fundraisers for helping further the cause of cancer research – in effect, saving his life.
"Someone came up with the research and support that made me a cancer survivor," Lee says. "How fortunate am I to be able to do this."
Four weeks after surgery, he was back on his bike to continue the fund raising effort all at his own expense.
"What gives me the drive is the passion for people that can't, to think of people going through radiation and chemo -- they give me the pedal power," Lee says.
