When Todd Spurrier pisses excellence, it’s the just the clear, yellow stuff we’re all used to. But when your body’s been through as much as Todd’s has, well, you sort of lower the bar. No pain. No blood. No hospitals. Excellent.  See, Todd’s aware of more shitty things that can go wrong with human plumbing than most of us can imagine. Intimately aware, thanks weird-sounding tumors, a genetic predisposition to sprouting them, and everything doctors can do to keep them from killing him.

Ugh…the anesthesia fog…coming to and hearing your surgeon tell you he had to abort…good times.

As sucky as all that sounds, Todd will tell you he’s the luckiest guy in the world. Why? Something about a road trip, a Ducati, and a chance to help others. Despite more than his share  of non-so excellent days, he managed a pretty excellent journey crossing the country by motorcycle last year, stopping only to gas up, sleep, and tell people about the diseases that have changed his life (and how he hopes they never change yours). He’s about to embark on another one. Any day now, Todd’s about to do it again, and Ducati’s backing him (again) with the use of a brand new 2013 Multistrada and gear to boot. He’ll hit as many walks and rallys and retreats and motorcycle events as he can, journaling and photographing portraits of fellow survivors for his latest project, FACEiT.

Face it. Some people really do piss excellence. And I got a chance to ask one of them a few questions…

RG: “Ok, why? I mean, I understand the purpose, but why…why spread the word about this stuff the whole early detection thing?”

TS: “I am compelled to get the message about Colorectal Cancer prevention and awareness to the masses, whenever and wherever I can. My passion for this cause comes from the fact that my dad died, at the far too young age of 32, from colon cancer. He got colon cancer via Familial Adenomatous Polyposis [FAP]. By the time he was diagnosed with FAP, it was too late. It had already turned to cancer”. (In medicine, this is known as ‘transmutation’, when non-cancerous growths become cancer).

TS (continuing): “I guess I should talk a little bit about what FAP is. It is a rare hereditary disease where hundreds, even thousands of polyps develop in the colon if left untreated. (A polyp is a projectile growth). The polyps have a 100% chance of turning into cancer. That is what happened to my dad.

My two sisters, niece, nephew and I all have FAP. We all have had multiple surgeries to remove our colons. We have to have annual scopes to make sure polyps do not appear in small bowel and stomach. Which they usually do show themselves and our doctors burn them out. Another disease we have are Desmoid Tumors, an extremely rare soft tissue sarcoma. My family really has it goin’ on in the gene pool department. In 2008 I had to have a j-pouch procedure which was needed to remove my rectum. (That’s when they pull the small intestine all the way down to the exit port, creating an artificial rectum). That was all that was left from a total colectomy (removal of colon) surgery I had back in 1985 when I was 18”. (The colon is responsible for absorbing fluid, so you can imagine how ‘busy’ life can be without one. You lose a lot of fluid that would normally be absorbed by the colon, so patients are prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances that can cause heart, kidney, and all kinds of problems). “While I was opened up on the table it was discovered that I had a desmoid tumor that did not allow my surgeon to do the j-pouch procedure. The desmoid tumor also caused a stricture (a tight spot) in my left ureter and resulting severe kidney damage (urine backs up into the kidney, which isn’t designed to hold the stuff). Because of this, I have to have a ureteral stent indefinitely that has to be surgically changed out every year”. (A stent is a piece of plastic tubing that is put inside a weak or damaged tube in the body to keep it open. Stents in the ureter (the tube that drains urine from the kidney where it’s produced to the bladder where it’s stored) frequently cause pain and bleeding with urination). “Sorry for all the medical information. I just feel there is a need for some explanation of these rare diseases”. (RG: “That’s ok; I’ll translate”). “Colorectal cancer is preventable. I want to make sure people do not suffer the fate that my dad did because he did not go to the doctor sooner when he was having symptoms like cramping and bleeding. If I can save just one person from going through that hell, I feel that I have done my job. People, know you bodies. Make sure your doctors know your bodies. And get a colonoscopy. The prep may suck, but think of the sedation”. (Yeah, good stuff!)

RG: Your health problems started at an early age. When did you start riding a motorcycle? And did you (or your family) ever worry about it being “dangerous”?

TS: “Yes, I have been colon-affected for the majority of my life. I started riding kind of late in life, and bought my first bike back in 2001. Before that, I only had a Honda 50 Mini Trail that my dad got for me when I was a kid. At the time, I was shooting photography at Harley rides, rallies and anniversaries. I began considering the idea of getting a bike. My motorcycle-getting fate was sealed when I shot a Buell ride in California. An eight day ride. It began in San Diego and wound it’s way up to Eureka. It was an incredible experience. That ride (and the fact that Eric Buell was there for it) made it an experience I will always cherish. When I got back to Milwaukee, I immediately began looking at bikes. One Saturday, I went to a dealership, and there was this one bike that I was immediately drawn to. It was a Ducati Monster 900. I loved it. Before I knew it, I was signing the papers”

RG: “How did Ducati come in to the picture? How’d that Multistrada work out for you?”

TS: “The day I bought the Monster, a love affair with Ducati motorcycles began. There was only one bike for the ride as far as I was concerned, the Multistrada.

I was working on a couple different angles as far as getting a bike. The two main ones were raising money to buy an older generation Multistrada and getting my ride story in front of the team at Ducati North America (DNA). You remember that time Heather. You were kind enough to give me the names and email addresses of some of the DNA Team members. (RG: “I do, and I’m so happy it worked out!”) “While constantly monitoring Craigslist and Ebay for good deals on Multistradas, I was also working on a kit of sorts that I would send to the DNA members to try to get their attention and interest in the ride that I was trying to get started and on the road. I felt that if I just sent an email to them it might get lost in the system or not be compelling enough to make them want to partner with me on the ride. Well, while I was working on the pitch, some friends who also have desmoid tumors were sending emails to dealerships, organization and Ducati North America. Without my knowledge. So time went by, I was working hard on the ride and kind of getting discouraged that my dream, my ride was not going to happen. I was talking to fellow desmoid tumor survivor/friend, Lisa, on the phone. She could tell I was a tad down. That is when she told me that she and other friends had been sending out all the emails. I was blown away that they were doing all of that for me. Amazing really. Wonderful people indeed.

Lisa decided to send emails to DNA again. She got an email response almost immediately from Stefano, their Marketing Director. In it he basically said that he received the email that Lisa had sent two months before in March. And that Ducati was interested in making my ride a reality. He responded to that email and he never got a response. It turned out that Stefano’s March email got lost in Lisa’s spam email folder. She never saw it. (Argh! The dreaded SPAM FOLDER!) So after a series of phone and email conversations with Stefano and other team members, I found myself at Moto Union, the Milwaukee Ducati Dealership, picking up the Multistrada 1200 S that would be my riding partner for the next six months. As far as “how the Multistrada workout question”, It was amazing in every way. It handled everything the ride threw at it in great form. I’m not going to start going into detail about it because I won’t be able to stop talking about what a truly amazing bike it is. Multicapable it is indeed”.

Hmm…can you do this without a colon? Yes, you can!

RG: “What’s a bigger conversation-starter, the bike or the mission?”

TS: “The bike was definitely the conversation starter. There was never a simple stop. Like at fill-ups at gas stations for instance. Every time I stopped at a gas station at least on person would see the fully loaded up Ducati and want to know what the heck I was up to. Where I was from? Where I was headed? What kind of bike is that? How fast does it go? You get the idea. And then my story would come. My health story, my love for motorcycles, why I’m doing the ride, where I am headed next etc. etc etc. I was fortunate enough to meet so many wonderful people and share stories, our lives. The 2012 ride restored my faith in humanity, in our country”.

Leaving Ducati North America corporate HQ in Cupertino, CA on a brand new, 2012 Multistrada. A moveable feast, indeed.

RG: “How do you decide where you’re going to go and what events you’re going to attend?”

TS: “Well, in the 2012 Ride I worked out a route plan based on cause related factors like where my dad was treated until he died (City of Hope in Los Angeles), the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation Patient Symposium in Philly and the Trail Of Tears Remembrance Ride (my dad was born on an Indian Reservation). And of course Ducati related events like the Pikes Peak Hill Climb and the MotoGP race at Laguna Seca. I tended to ride by the seat of my pants on that ride. Destinations and cause related situations just seemed to come to me in a way. Don’t get me wrong, I did work constantly trying to get organizations on board with the ride. After awhile, I just tried to enjoy the ride and have faith that good would come from it. And it very much did. The 2013 ride will be much more planned, focused and targeted. But, I do want to let things happen as well. It is an adventure after all. I live for that not knowing what’s around the next corner thing”.

RG: “Is your travel consecutive? I mean, do you ride from state to state until it’s over, or do you go back home between destinations?”

TS: “In the 2012 Ride, it was consecutive. I was away from Wisconsin for over 19,000 miles and just under six months. In this 2013 Ride, I may stop at home in Wisconsin if there is time or an event develops. It all depends on timing and schedule”.

RG: “How does your health affect your ride? I remember once on your 2012 ride, your ureteral stent gave you some trouble…give us a glimpse of what cross-country travel is like sans a fully-functional colon.

TS: “Okay, you asked for it Heather. Ha. I will use the 2012 ride as an example of what it’s like to ride with what health issues I have. I have been told by my urologist that if my stent was removed, my kidney would die inside of a month. Side affects from the stent and bum kidney are side and back pain, urination frequency and urgency. I’m sure your readers are thinking, “okay buddy, TMI by now”. Ha.

RG: “Maybe, but I think readers should know how taking a cross-country ride is one thing, taking a cross country ride for a guy like you is something else!”

TS (continues): “At the beginning of last year’s ride in the middle of July, there pretty much was a heat wave everywhere in the country. My first destination on the ride was City of Hope in Los Angeles. I had a few days to get there. There was very much a tight schedule at the beginning of the ride. My ride began at 4 in the afternoon. It was hot, in the 90’s. I figured I’d leave late in the day and do a lot of riding at night when it was cooler. I rode through the night until I stopped in the middle of Iowa around 2am. I went to a little campground. Got off the bike and then realized quite a bit of side and back pain from the stent. The heat and resulting dehydration did a number on my kidney/ureter/stent. And I was urinating quite a bit of blood. I decided to lie on a picnic table. I woke up to birds chirping and it starting to get light. I got up and was pretty sore. I sucked it up and got back on the bike. And continued to make my way west. It was even hotter that day. I was on a mission to make it into Colorado that day/night. I did not care what how late my arrival would be. There was no way I going to wake the next day in Nebraska. I ended up logging over 800 miles that day/night. It was over a 100-degrees the entire day. I ended up making it 20 miles inside the high-desert in eastern Colorado at 2am. The next day the temperature peaked at 110 degrees. I had quite a bit of pain and bleeding for about the first two months of the ride. The only other issue of note as far as health issues was that I had a small bowel obstructing while I was at the MotoGP race at Indy. The pain and nausea was building as the race went on. I then had to ride four hours to my sister’s near St. Louis. I rode my ass off to get to her house. I did not want to get stuck in some middle-of-nowhere hospital emergency room if things went real bad on me. Thankfully, I made it to my sister’s and the obstruction cleared that night.

And I have to say one thing about the bike. It is seriously a comfortable bike to ride. I was able to ride over 800 miles in a day in that hot/pain/bleeding condition. I actually felt most comfortable on the bike. Gotta love the Multistrada”.

RG: “I’m just gunna come right out and ask…when you pack up and hit the road in vagabond mode, how do you pay the bills?”

TS: “I live very meagerly. I focus most of my efforts on the ride and cause-related stuff. But, I do also do freelance work to make money. I have a background in advertising, graphic design and photography. The medical bills do tend to rack up. I do not have health insurance. It’s kind of tough to get it when you freelance and have a pre-existing condition. Thankfully where I have all my procedures and treatments done, they work with me and have programs for uninsured people. Thank you UW Health”.

RG: “So, you’re a self-employed young man with a pre-existing condition, which means health insurance isn’t just expensive, it’s not AVAILABLE, right? You’ve got the soapbox…GO!”

TS: “Yes, I worked freelance and could not get health insurance because of pre-existing condition. Fortunately, my j-pouch surgery was covered by the Menominee Tribe. My dad was born on the Menominee Indian Reservation. He was on the Roll and I am a first descendant. Which entitled me to health benefits. I had to first be approved by the Tribal Clinic medical board and then the Tribal Board. I was approved. Thank god. One stipulation was that I had to live within 30 miles of the reservation, which I did for a few years. After that I needed to move in order to get work. So, I lost that coverage. Thankfully, the hospital where I’m treated has a Community Care program that works with me on procedure and treatment costs. Now I’ll spend a short time on the soap-box. I think the state of health care in this country is ridiculous. Not just for the uninsured, but for the underinsured. If I did not have that Tribal coverage, I most likely would not have been able to have the j-pouch surgery, other procedures and treatments that I need to fend off the cancer beast. I could be dead now. It seems this country is all about treatment procedures and not prevention, cutting back on scans and other preventative measures. Could it be that there is more money to be made in treatments, like chemo and other drugs? I don’t want to seem like a conspiracy nut. It just makes you think. It does me anyway.

Okay, I just stumbled off the soapbox now”.

RG: “Let’s talk about danger. Most people can rattle off a list of things they consider to be dangerous without too much hesitation. Sky-diving, running with scissors, riding a motorcycle all alone across the country…but when you live your life dodging the bullet of a chronic disease that can kill you, I suspect your perspective changes. What scares you?”

TS: “This is an easy one. Not living my life to the fullest scares the hell out of me. No regrets damn it!”

RG: “What do you plan to do with the FACEiT Project?”

TS: “First, I’ll talk about what the FACEiT Project is. It’s an idea I woke up with in the middle of the night. This seems to happen quite regularly to me for some reason. Since I will be covering an extensive portion of the United States on this ride and I have a background in photography, advertising and graphic design, why not take portraits of as many colorectal cancer, FAP and Desmoid Tumor survivors as possible along the way? Picture it, a large collection of the faces of these amazing/inspiring survivors and their stories. These portraits will be taken at Colon Cancer events around the US and anywhere in between, well, almost anywhere. I have thoughts of a book, PSA’s, ads, posters etc. being created with all the Survivor Faces. Perhaps a book and/or a documentary about the ride and FACEiT Project. The ideas keep coming and I’m sure once I’m on the ride things could get real interesting with more options”.

RG: “When does the 2013 ride start?”

TS: “I’m hoping in May sometime. At this time, the team at Ducati North America is in the process of making arrangements to get the bike to Wisconsin. I’m also working on creating partnerships with organizations for the ride and finishing up developing the ride route. And umm the necessary evil, fundraising”.

RG: “What can readers do to help?”

TS: “Hmmmmmm… asking for help is always so difficult for me. Screw it, I’ll lift my skirt on the what-would-be-a big-help-for-my-ride corner. People could help me with the social media end of things. Liking my Destination X Ride Facebook page, following me on Twitter and Instagram. Check out my website, mission and story, and the FACEiT Blogs to see the faces of Colorectal Cancer, FAP and Desmoid Tumors. And the most important thing, expose everybody you can to their inspiring, tragic, debilitating, life-compromising and ongoing Survivor stories via sharing, tweeting, blogging and all the rest of that social media kind stuff, and if people really see something in what I am trying to do, they can throw a few bucks at me via the donation page on the Destination X Ride website. Oh, and if anybody has some GoPro Hero3’s laying around…

The links:

Website: http://destinationxride.org/

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/destinationxride

Twitter: @DXride

Instagram: DESTINATIONXRIDE

Donation page: DONATION Page

RG: “What’s up for 2014? 2015? A documentary, maybe? World tour?”

TS: “World tour, that could be cool. Hmmmm. I’m not sure yet. I do know I will forge on with my Colorectal Cancer, FAP and Desmoid Tumor awareness efforts. I do believe the FACEiT Project has legs and is highly extendable. We shall see what form/s my cause related efforts take”.

Todd Spurrier. The face of excellence.

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