NOT DEAD YET

Inspirational memoir from a champion cyclist about overcoming a bleak diagnosis of diabetes and rising to the top—on his bike and in life.

Southerland was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a young age. As a teenager, he dreamed of creating an organization to help those who were similarly afflicted. As an adult, he took the first steps toward his dream by founding Team Type 1, a competitive cycling troop comprised entirely of Type 1 diabetics that has won a number of championships. Cashing in on his status as a renowned athlete, Southerland began distributing medical supplies and campaigning for diabetes awareness around the world on a scale that surpassed even his wildest teen dreams. Here, the author describes a harrowing and sickly childhood, during which he was dragged from doctor to doctor, each prognosis gloomier than the last. He recalls the personal challenges he faced and overcame on a daily basis in dealing with his diagnosis, which inherently laid the foundation for the strength, will and fortitude it took for him to become a champion athlete. The author's passion for cycling and drive to excel became blueprints for controlling his disease and living a healthy life. This motivational coming-of-age story veers between inspiration and action. Southerland's accounts of cycling tournaments are so vividly portrayed, and his optimistic and humorous tone is appropriate for any age group.