November 15, 2012, Rye Brook, NY-- I'm writing from the Social Venture Network conference where Cheryl Dorsey, President of Echoing Green just interviewed Doug Ulman, CEO of LIVESTRONG. Echoing Green is a pioneering global social venture fund and LIVESTRONG is an internationally-known non-profit serving people affected by cancer. The theme of the interview was courage in the face of adversity.

The interview began with a story from when Doug was in college at Brown University. He was out walking with his brother one day when he suddenly felt his throat tighten up. He proceeded to have what seemed to be some kind of asthma attack and went to the hospital to get checked out. Doug was young and healthy at the time and the doctor thought it was probably just some seasonal allergies. The doctor gave him a chest x-ray, just to be thorough and sent him home. Nothing showed up on the x-ray initially, but Doug came home to an answering machine message from another doctor saying that he should return at once for a CT scan. He was then diagnosed with a rare form of sarcoma. The symptoms that led him to visit the hospital were completely unrelated to the cancer, but that chest x-ray may have helped to save his life.

Doug became a three-time cancer survivor and went on to found the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults and to become an Echoing Green Fellow. Through his experiences, he learned that there was a real gap in the available cancer resources. Children and older adults were able to find ample support and research, but young adults could not easily find peers, support or research that was tailored to their unique situation. The Ulman Cancer Center filled that niche and continues to serve the young adult community.

Ulman met Lance Armstrong before Lance went on to win the Tour de France and become an international celebrity. The two young men became friends and Ulman ended up moving to Austin and eventually became president and CEO of LIVESTRONG. The charity has raised half a billion dollars to date for programs and research in support of those affected by cancer.

LIVESTRONG has several innovative revenue streams that support their programs. The wristband partnership with Nike has been enormously successful for them and has effectively democratized philanthropy, because the bracelets are an affordable way for everyone to participate in the LIVESTRONG mission. The American Century LIVESTRONG portfolios also raise funds for the organization and provide a way for investors to align their money with their values.

Finally, Ulman touched on the sadness that has affected him and his team in the wake of the recent media storm surrounding Lance Armstrong. After hearing his story, I have no doubt that the courage under adversity that Doug has shown throughout his life will allow him and his organization to remain resilient during this crisis and to continue to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.