Father’s Cancer Spurs FC Man to Ride

 “I’m REALLY sick of cancer,” says Steve Schooner’s page on the LiveSTRONG website. 

Steve Schooner, biking in Ghana. He and his colleagues will opt for road bikes in Austin for the LiveSTRONG Challenge.

Schooner, his parents and sister have all fought the disease.  Breast cancer and, later, secondary bone cancer took his mother.  His sister fought multiple bouts with breast cancer.  Schooner himself survived testicular cancer.  He considers himself the lucky one.  Now his father is battling pancreatic cancer. 

“Add in my father-in-law (lymphoma) and my friends and colleagues and students, and, well, you get the idea,” Schooner says. 

Murray Schooner revisits Viet Nam with son Steve in 2008.

Murray Schooner is a former Army officer who served in 1968 in Viet Nam, a country he revisited with his son last year.  After retiring from the Army, Murray devoted his professional career to helping small and disadvantaged contractors gain access to the government contracts marketplace.  Steve Schooner notes that his father loved the stage, with his favorite role being Tevye, in community theater productions of “Fiddler on the Roof.” His most frequent role, however, remains Santa Claus, which Murray annually reprised at holiday events for decades. 

Murray Schooner as Santa.

“You won’t find a better Jewish Santa Claus anywhere,” his son says.  “The role worked because of his irrepressible joy and goodwill.”

Schooner already has raised more than $10,000 for LiveSTRONG, and hopes to raise much more.  Overall, riders, runners, and volunteers have collected more than $1 million for the Austin event, and more than 10 weeks remain.

Schooner’s wife, Heidi, sons Thor and John, and a number of friends will travel to participate in the 90-mile ride and a 5k fun run, and Schooner is actively recruiting others.  Interested persons may contact Schooner by email — SSCHOONER@LAW.GWU.EDU – or contribute via his LiveSTRONG page.

Lance Armstrong's organization expects record ridership in Austin in October.